Subj : This nasty stalkerware was found spying on tens of thousands of p
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Tue Jul 25 2023 11:00:04

This nasty stalkerware was found spying on tens of thousands of phones

Date:
Tue, 25 Jul 2023 09:49:51 +0000

Description:
Spyhide stalkerware tracked down to an Iranian software company, with victims 
identified all over the globe.

FULL STORY
======================================================================

Thousands of Android devices have been sending real-time information about 
contacts, messages, photos, call logs and recordings, and granular location 
to an Iranian stalkerware company since 2016. 

An investigation by Switzerland-based hacker maia arson crimew , has revealed 
that an Iranian software company that goes by the name virsys or virsis is to 
blame. 

Having provided TechCrunch with a copy of Spyhides text-only database, the 
publication has now revealed the extent of the attacks, with an estimated 
60,000 Android devices thought to have been affected. Spyhide stalkerware 

More than 100,000 location data points had been identified as being uploaded 
from a single US-based device, with over 3,000 more US devices also 
contributing to the data logs. 

Other regions that have been clear target for the stalkerware maker have 
included parts of central and eastern Europe, the UK, and Brazil. A 
considerable number of Indonesian uploads were also identified. Read more 

 > These are the best privacy tools and anonymous browsers 


 > Google Play reveals major crack down on app store malware 


 > These Samsung phone flaws have been exploited by spyware 

While it is reported that more than 4,000 users were responsible for more 
than one device, with a handful of individuals responsible for dozens of 
devices, considerably reducing the number of affected victims, the extent of 
the operation remains sizeable. 

Around 3.3 million text messages containing personal information like 
two-factor authentication (2FA) codes and password reset links were found, 
alongside 1.2 million call logs containing the receivers phone number and 
312,000 call recording files. 

Other information, such as 925,000 contact lists, 382,000 photos and images, 
and an alarming 6,000 ambient recordings from victims devices, were also 
identified by TechCrunch . 

Because the app is downloaded from Spyhides website rather than the Play 
Store, Google isnt to blame for allowing the app on its platform, however 
enabling Google Play Protect goes some of the way to protecting users from 
such stalkerware and malware . 

Neither of the two Iranian developers, Mostafa M and Mohammad A, have 
responded to TechCrunch s emails, however Mohammad A claimed only to have 
briefly been involved in the project as a contractor around eight years ago 
in an email to maia arson crimew. 

German web hosting provider Hetzner, identified by TechCrunch as the server 
host for data Spyhide data logs, told the publication that it does not allow 
the hosting of spyware. Think youve been a victim? Here are the best identity 
theft protection tools



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/this-nasty-stalkerware-was-found-spying-on-tens-
of-thousands-of-phones


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