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New Spyware Tricks Users With Fake App Updates
24 Apr
Summary
- Morpheus spyware uses fake app updates to infect Android devices.
- Italian company IPS allegedly developed the 'low-cost' Morpheus spyware.
- The spyware exploits Android accessibility features for data theft.
An Italian digital rights organization, Osservatorio Nessuno, has identified a new spyware dubbed Morpheus. This surveillance software, allegedly created by the 30-year-old Italian company IPS, operates by tricking targets into downloading it through fake Android app updates. Researchers discovered that the spyware masquerades as a phone update app, luring users into installation.
Once active, Morpheus exploits Android's accessibility features to gain extensive access. It can steal various data types and even spoof applications like WhatsApp to gain unauthorized account access. This method, while considered low-cost compared to zero-click attacks, has been linked to political activism in Italy.
