These 12 Android Apps Spying on Indian Pakistani Users Having VajraSpy Malware Advised to Remove Asap All Details

Earlier this month, researchers at cyber security company ESET detected 12 Android apps that share the same malicious code for spying. These apps have caused damage to hundreds of devices. The apps have mostly targeted users from India and Pakistan. The report states that VajraSPY malware has been found in these apps, which is used specifically for spying. Of all the apps reported, one claims to be a news app and the others are messaging tools. These apps secretly execute the VajraSpy remote access Trojan (RAT) code, which is used for targeted espionage by the Patchwork APT group.

ESET has a Report has released a report which states that 12 Android apps are targeting users in India and Pakistan for spying. A similar VajraSPY malware has been found in the apps, which executes RAT code and works to steal the device’s contacts, files, call logs and SMS. Not only this, the report also states that some of these apps can record phone calls and take pictures with the camera along with stealing messages from WhatsApp and Signal platforms.

While ESET telemetry data detected these only from Malaysia, the company believes they were merely incidental and not the actual targets of the campaign, but rather Android smartphone users in India and Pakistan.

ESET says that “we believe victims were contacted via a honey-trap romance scam, where campaign operators feigned romantic and/or sexual interest in their targets on another platform and then convinced them to download these trojanized apps.”

While 12 of these apps were on the Google Play Store, the others (including Xamalicious) are on third-party app stores. Although Google has removed all the apps, if a user already has them installed on their device, they will have to remove them themselves.

The names of these 12 apps are as follows:- Meet Me, Prive Talk, Nidus, Wave Chat, Yoho Talk, Rafaqat News, Tik Talk, Lets Chat, Glow Glow, Quick Chat, NioNio, Hello Chat, Chit Chat

At the same time, the apps equipped with Xamalicious are as follows:- Track Your Sleep, Auto Click Repeater, Numerology: Personal Horoscope & Number Predictions, Universal Calculator, Logo Maker Pro, Essential Horoscope for Android, 3D Skin Editor for PE Minecraft, LetterLink, Step Keeper : Easy Pedometer, Astrological Navigator: Daily Horoscope & Tarot, Count Easy Calorie Calculator, Sound Volume Booster, Sound Volume Extender