Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a new spate of spyware lurking openly on victims’ Android devices under the guise of legitimate lifestyle apps. Dubbed PhoneSpy, the new spyware was discovered by researchers at mobile security firm Zimperium.
Once installed on the phone, the spyware secretly leaks data from the victim’s device including login credentials, messages, precise detailed location and images.
“PhoneSpy Android spyware puts businesses at risk, as do consumers. The rise of self-device policies in companies has blurred the line between business and personal data. Enterprise connected devices put all corporate data at risk,” Zimperium said in a statement.
The researchers also say that PhoneSpy is able to remove all user-installed apps, including mobile security apps. The propagation is by web traffic routing or social engineering, as no Google Play application infected with this spyware has yet been discovered. So once again, it’s worth repeating the warning about not downloading or installing apps from untrusted sources.
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