Avast Blog Threat Reseach: Google pulls stalker apps identified by Avast

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Apps on the Google Play Store allowed people to stalk employees, romantic partners, or kids

Mobile threat researchers at Avast have detected seven apps on the Google Play Store that were all likely designed by a Russian developer to allow people to stalk employees, romantic partners, or kids.

Avast detected and reported four of the apps on Tuesday to Google, which removed them from the Play Store. The researchers detected the fifth, sixth, and seventh apps on Wednesday, reported these to Google, and these have also been removed.

The apps have been installed a combined 130,000 times, with the most-installed apps being Spy Tracker, and SMS Tracker, both with more than 50,000 installs.

The apps require the snoop to have access to the phone they want to spy on. The snoop can download the apps from the Google Play Store and install them on the target device. The app then prompts the person who installed the app to enter their email address and password. The spying app is sent there.

The apps also help the snoop to hide the surveillance by providing directions to uninstall anything noticeable to the phone’s owner. Upon setup there is no app icon, so the targeted person does not see any sign of the stalkerware app installed on their phone.

The apps are able to track the surveilled person’s location, collect their contacts, SMS and call history.

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