Google Play apps were stealing texts and secretly recording calls

All the apps had unassuming names like "Cleaner", "Backup", or "Sound Recorder" Google said.

Google Play Protect detected Lipizzan in 20 different apps that had been distributed in a targeted fashion to fewer than 100 devices.

The malware, dubbed Lipizzan, includes references in its code to Israeli start-up Equus Technologies, which claims on a sparse LinkedIn page to develop "tailor made innovative solutions for law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and national security organizations".

Google recently took down 20 professionally developed malicious Android apps that were capable of spying on a target's location and messages.

"Upon installation, Lipizzan would download and load a second "license verification" stage, which would survey the infected device and validate certain abort criteria".

If the device gets the green light the malware will root it with known exploits and exfiltrate data to a C&C server, Google explained.

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In that second stage, it could take screenshots and photos, steal user data on contacts and files, record calls, monitor location, and even record from the device microphone.

The data collected was able to be accessed from apps including Gmail, Hangouts, LinkedIn, Skype, and Snapchat, as well as collecting messages sent and received by Whatsapp, Telegram, and Viber, which encrypt data in an attempt to make it hard for attackers to intercept messages while their are travelling to their destination.

The spyware was able to bypass Google's Bouncer security system by splitting into two stages.

Google blocked the first set of Lipizzan apps, but even then new versions were uploaded within a week of the takedown; this time created to look like apps including notepads, sound recorders and alarm managers. The new apps were uploaded within a week of the takedown, showing that the authors have a method of easily changing the branding of the implant apps. It had caught hold of one such malware and dealt with it before it could cause major havoc and as a subsequent result has also launched the Google Play protect security feature to insulate users from any such nasty malwares.

Back in April, researchers at Google discovered an Android malware, called Chrysaor, that could give an attacker remote control of the infected device.

The availability of multiple app stores to Android users, and the less stringent app review process, have contributed to the rise in malware in Google's mobile ecosystem.

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