Lookout (USA) experts have discovered 5 malicious applications on Google Play, including: Phone Manager, Smart Manager, File Manager, Kakao Security and Software Update Utility. All contain a type of spyware called "KoSpy".
Hackers disguised the malware as file manager apps and then shared these malicious apps on the Google Play store for Android smartphones.
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| A malicious application that functions like a normal application, but silently installs additional malicious code without the user knowing. |
Malicious apps still provide file management functions as advertised to fool users, but KoSpy malware will silently operate on the system without their knowledge.
Lookout security experts said that KoSpy malware uses many sophisticated techniques to bypass users and smartphone security mechanisms.
After users install malicious applications containing KoSpy, this malware can silently monitor call history, read messages, monitor users' real-time location via GPS, read and extract files on the device, use the microphone to record audio, use the device's camera to secretly take photos/record videos ,...
In addition, this malware can also take screenshots of smartphones and silently record users' keystrokes to steal passwords to log in to online accounts.
The data stolen by KoSpy malware will be encrypted and sent to an external server controlled by hackers to collect user information.
LookOut has reported the issue to Google and the malicious apps have now been removed from the Google Play store.
However, users who have accidentally installed one of the 5 malicious applications mentioned above must quickly remove them from their smartphones to avoid having their information stolen by malware.
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