Google warns this dangerous hidden app lets strangers record you

A dangerous piece of spyware that eavesdrops on anyone who downl🍷oads it has been discovered by researche❀rs.

The dodgy Android app keeps track of your location and records you through your devices’ microphones, according to a report.

It then sends ♉the files to the murky organᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚization behind the technology. Their identity remains a mystery.

They could then use that information꧒ to blackmail you – or worse.

Experts from the international cyber group Lab༺52 identified the malicious app and described it in a&nbs♒p; last week.

They said that the malware has all the hallmarks of spy tech used by state-sponsorꦕed Russian hackers to target❀ Americans and Europeans.

It’s unclear how the app, which is called “Process Manager”, is installed onto victims’ devices.

P෴revious Russian spyware campaigns have loaded malware onꦚto devices via links sent over text or email.

Process Manager appears as a gear-sha🙈ped icon similar to tဣhe settings icon used in default versions of Android.

Once downloaded, a warning about app permissions is displaye🌳d to the user asking for access to the cameras and more.

If the💖 user accepts these, the app is hidden and continues to run in the background indefinitely.

It keeps track of the user’s location using their device’s GPS signal and even records audio through the microphone.

Attackers can also use the spyware to access the device camera, read the target’s texts, access their call log and more.

The researchers said that the infrastructure used by the software appears sim𓄧ilar to Turla, spyware dev♛eloped by Russian hackers.

Turla snoopers have ties to the Kremlin and are behind a s🔯pate of eavesdropping campaigns against European politicians.

However, it is not clear if Russian hacking groups are behind ꦍthe new spyware.

“Attribution to Turla does not seem possible given its threat capabilities,” researchers wrote.

To protect yourself against Android spyware, it’s worth regularly reviewing the app permission you have granted.

You can do that byℱ heading to your device Settings and looking for Apps or Apps and Notifications and then Permissions.

Revoke the permissions of apps you don’t want to have access to your camera, microphone, and sensitive information.

This story originally appeared and was reproduced here with permission.