{"id":8729,"date":"2022-06-27T14:42:19","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T14:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/06\/27\/google-says-attackers-worked-with-isps-to-deploy-hermit-spyware-on-android-and-ios\/"},"modified":"2022-06-27T14:42:20","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T14:42:20","slug":"google-says-attackers-worked-with-isps-to-deploy-hermit-spyware-on-android-and-ios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceandnerds.com\/2022\/06\/27\/google-says-attackers-worked-with-isps-to-deploy-hermit-spyware-on-android-and-ios\/","title":{"rendered":"Google says attackers worked with ISPs to deploy Hermit spyware on Android and iOS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2022\/6\/25\/23183046\/google-hermit-spyware-isp-android-ios<\/a>
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A sophisticated spyware campaign is getting the help of internet service providers (ISPs) to trick users into downloading malicious apps, according to research published by Google\u2019s Threat Analysis Group<\/a> (TAG) (via TechCrunch<\/em><\/a>). This corroborates earlier findings from security research group Lookout<\/a>, which has linked the spyware, dubbed Hermit, to Italian spyware vendor RCS Labs.<\/p>\n

Lookout says RCS Labs is in the same line of work as NSO Group \u2014 the infamous surveillance-for-hire company behind the Pegasus spyware<\/a> \u2014 and peddles commercial spyware to various government agencies. Researchers at Lookout believe Hermit has already been deployed by the government of Kazakhstan and Italian authorities. In line with these findings, Google has identified victims in both countries and says it will notify affected users.<\/p>\n

As described in Lookout\u2019s report, Hermit is a modular threat that can download additional capabilities from a command and control (C2) server. This allows the spyware to access the call records, location, photos, and text messages on a victim\u2019s device. Hermit\u2019s also able to record audio, make and intercept phone calls, as well as root to an Android device, which gives it full control over its core operating system.<\/p>\n

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