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Italian spyware maker SIO is distributing malicious Android applications that masquerade as popular apps like WhatsApp. According to an exclusive report by TechCrunch, the spyware, dubbed "Spyrtacus," is designed to steal private data from a target's device. Researchers have linked this spyware campaign to SIO, a company that claims to partner with law enforcement agencies, government organizations, police, and intelligence agencies, including the Italian government.

The spyware campaign involves distributing malicious Android apps disguised as popular applications and cellphone provider tools. Security researchers at Lookout identified the spyware as "Spyrtacus" after finding the term in the code of an older malware sample. Spyrtacus possesses capabilities typical of government spyware, including the ability to steal text messages, chats from various messaging platforms, exfiltrate contacts, and record phone calls and ambient audio. At this time, the identities of the spyware targets and victims remain unknown.


References :

• infosec.exchange: NEW: We caught another government spyware vendor, which made fake Android apps masquerading as WhatsApp and cellphone providers' apps. The spyware, called Spyrtacus, was made by SIO. The company says on its official website that it partners "Law Enforcement Agencies, Government Organizations, Police and Intelligence Agencies," and sells to Italian government. At this point, we don't have information on who were the spyware targets and victims.
• Zack Whittaker: Incredible reporting by , who caught an Android spyware campaign in the wild. The spyware, dubbed "Spyrtacus," masquerades as popular apps like WhatsApp, but steals victims' phone data. Researchers linked the spyware to Italian firm SIO.
• Pietro395 :proton: ??: Italian spyware maker SIO, known to sell its products to government customers, is behind a series of malicious Android apps that masquerade as WhatsApp and other popular apps but steal private data from a target’s device, TechCrunch has exclusively learned.
• techcrunch.com: Spyware maker caught distributing malicious Android apps for years
• infosec.exchange: NEW: We caught another government spyware vendor, which made fake Android apps masquerading as WhatsApp and cellphone providers' apps.
• techcrunch.com: Spyware maker caught distributing malicious Android apps for years
• Techmeme: Sources: Italian spyware maker SIO created malicious Android apps that masquerade as WhatsApp and other apps; a researcher says they were likely used in Italy (Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai/TechCrunch)
• www.dday.it: Very nice find (in 🇮🇹) by tech site Digital Day. Spyware maker SIO attempted to sell Spyrtacus through an intermediary to an Italian prosecutor's office in Sicily, but was rejected because law says the owner of the product is the one that must apply to the tender.

Classification:

• HashTags: #spyware #android #datatheft
• Company: SIO
• Target: Android users
• Attacker: SIO
• Product: Android Apps
• Feature: data theft
• Malware: Spyrtacus
• Type: Malware
• Severity: Major