North Korean government-backed hackers successfully uploaded spyware to the Google Play Store, where it was downloaded by unsuspecting users, according to a report released Wednesday by cybersecurity firm Lookout. The malware, named KoSpy, was designed to conduct extensive surveillance, collecting call logs, messages, and even activating a device’s camera and microphone.
Lookout, which attributes the campaign to North Korea with “high confidence,” said the spyware was likely aimed at a small, targeted group of individuals rather than the general public. “With only a few downloads, the spyware app was likely targeting specific people,” said Christoph Hebeisen, Lookout’s director of security intelligence research.
At least one of the KoSpy-infected applications was listed on the Google Play Store and downloaded more than ten times before being removed, according to Lookout’s findings. The firm shared screenshots of the app’s now-deleted store page. The malware was also discovered on the third-party app store APKPure.
