It seems that in recent weeks we do not stop knowing the discovery of different malicious apps that affect not only the main operating systems that we find in the most popular and well-known smartphones (such as iOS or Android), but even their own application stores .
This was the case of the App Store , after it became known that an apparently games app (designed for children) had a back door through which, when accessed from certain countries, an internal web browser was opened that provided access to an online casino.
In this way, its developers had managed to bypass the filters that Apple maintains to prevent these types of applications on its app platform, until users alerted them to their existence.
On this occasion, the existence of a malicious app that pretends to be an update to our Android phone has recently been discovered, baptized with the name ‘System Update’ , but which is originally a spyware application that can practically steal all of our data , while monitoring our movements and our online search history .
It is an app originally discovered by the mobile security firm Zimperium, who warned at the time of its existence and later classified as a remote access Trojan , actually consisting of a broad category of malware that, in general, offers the possibility the hacker to access and manipulate the device remotely (that is, from afar).
Specifically, this RAT is downloaded with the promise of helping the user to keep their Android device one hundred percent updated. However, this is a complete falsehood, since instead, it sends all your information to an external server.
According to experts, it would be one of the most sophisticated remote access Trojans ever discovered, which they consider would have spent a lot of time and effort in its creation.
What data could the malicious app ‘System Update’ steal?
The truth is that the amount of data that this app could “steal” from users is quite large. Includes: call logs and phone contacts; databases and WhatsApp messages; photos and videos; instant messaging messages and database files; all text messages; even information about almost everything on the phone.
You can also monitor the GPS location of the device, to know exactly where it is, review the search history and browser bookmarks, turn on the microphone of the terminal to record audio, or hijack the device’s camera to take pictures without our consent.
And what is even worse: the data-stealing capabilities of this malicious app are activated every time the device receives new information , because it is constantly looking for any activity of interest, such as a new phone call, thus recording the conversation immediately.
Luckily, this app has never been available through the Google Play Store , although it is offered through a third-party store.
