ESET Reveals 12 Android Apps Conducting Espionage in India and Pakistan, Targeting Smartphone Users

"ESET Reveals 12 Android Apps Conducting Espionage in India and Pakistan, Targeting Smartphone Users"

Security researchers from ESET recently uncovered 12 Android applications engaged in espionage activities targeting smartphone users in India and Pakistan. These apps, disguised as messaging tools and one posing as a news app, were found to execute the VajraSpy remote access trojan (RAT), associated with the Patchwork APT group. VajraSpy possesses various espionage functionalities, including stealing contacts, files, call logs, and SMS messages. Some apps even have the capability to extract WhatsApp and Signal messages, record phone calls, and capture images using the device's camera.

ESET detected these apps primarily in Malaysia through telemetry data. However, the company believes this was incidental and not the primary target, as the victims were likely Android smartphone users in India and Pakistan. The report suggests that the victims may have fallen prey to a honey-trap romance scam, where operators feigned romantic or sexual interest on another platform, convincing them to download these trojanized apps.

While 12 of the identified apps were present on the Google Play Store, others, especially those with Xamalicious, were found on third-party app stores. Although Google has removed these apps from its official store, users who manually downloaded them must delete them from their devices.

The identified apps on Google Play Store include:

Hello Chat

Chit Chat

Meet Me

Nidus

Rafaqat News

Tik Talk

Wave Chat

Prive Talk

Glow Glow

Lets Chat

NioNio

Quick Chat

Yoho Talk

Apps with Xamalicious found on third-party stores include:

Essential Horoscope for Android

3D Skin Editor for PE Minecraft

Logo Maker Pro

Auto Click Repeater

Count Easy Calorie Calculator

Sound Volume Extender

LetterLink

Numerology: Personal Horoscope & Number Predictions

Step Keeper: Easy Pedometer

Track Your Sleep

Sound Volume Booster

Astrological Navigator: Daily Horoscope & Tarot

Universal Calculator