{"id":104711,"date":"2025-03-12T22:03:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T22:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/"},"modified":"2025-03-12T22:03:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T22:03:11","slug":"android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>Researchers have discovered multiple Android apps, some that were available in Google Play after passing the company\u2019s security vetting, that surreptitiously uploaded sensitive user information to spies working for the North Korean government.<\/p>\n<p>Samples of the malware\u2014named KoSpy by Lookout, the security firm that discovered it\u2014masquerade as utility apps for managing files, app or OS updates, and device security. Behind the interfaces, the apps can collect a variety of information including SMS messages, call logs, location, files, nearby audio, and screenshots and send them to servers controlled by North Korean intelligence personnel. The apps target English language and Korean language speakers and have been available in at least two Android app marketplaces, including Google Play.<\/p>\n<h2>Think twice before installing<\/h2>\n<p>The surveillanceware masquerades as the following five different apps:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/security\/2025\/03\/researchers-find-north-korean-spy-apps-hosted-in-google-play\/\">Read full article<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/security\/2025\/03\/researchers-find-north-korean-spy-apps-hosted-in-google-play\/#comments\">Comments<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wpematico_credit\"><small>Powered by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wpematico.com\" target=\"_blank\">WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers have discovered multiple Android apps, some that were available in Google Play after passing the company\u2019s security vetting, that surreptitiously uploaded sensitive user information to spies working for the North Korean government. Samples of the malware\u2014named KoSpy by Lookout, the security firm that discovered it\u2014masquerade as utility apps for managing files, app or OS updates, and device security. Behind the interfaces, the apps can collect a variety of information&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[241],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play - UshopWell.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play - UshopWell.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Researchers have discovered multiple Android apps, some that were available in Google Play after passing the company\u2019s security vetting, that surreptitiously uploaded sensitive user information to spies working for the North Korean government. Samples of the malware\u2014named KoSpy by Lookout, the security firm that discovered it\u2014masquerade as utility apps for managing files, app or OS updates, and device security. Behind the interfaces, the apps can collect a variety of information...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UshopWell.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-03-12T22:03:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"UShopWell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"UShopWell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"UShopWell\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6fd1f9e0ff932e534c86c70d5acff0fc\"},\"headline\":\"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-12T22:03:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":149,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Technology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/\",\"name\":\"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play - UshopWell.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-03-12T22:03:11+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/\",\"name\":\"UshopWell.com\",\"description\":\"The Premiere Online Marketplace\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UshopWell\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/pandaSwea.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/pandaSwea.png\",\"width\":365,\"height\":359,\"caption\":\"UshopWell\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6fd1f9e0ff932e534c86c70d5acff0fc\",\"name\":\"UShopWell\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4adb372cadd43b4d4c57964dab95b0f69618bf960d131c4acf49d96d6bbc9c6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4adb372cadd43b4d4c57964dab95b0f69618bf960d131c4acf49d96d6bbc9c6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4adb372cadd43b4d4c57964dab95b0f69618bf960d131c4acf49d96d6bbc9c6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"UShopWell\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ushopwell.com\\\/ublog\\\/author\\\/kburnettu\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play - UshopWell.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play - UshopWell.com","og_description":"Researchers have discovered multiple Android apps, some that were available in Google Play after passing the company\u2019s security vetting, that surreptitiously uploaded sensitive user information to spies working for the North Korean government. Samples of the malware\u2014named KoSpy by Lookout, the security firm that discovered it\u2014masquerade as utility apps for managing files, app or OS updates, and device security. Behind the interfaces, the apps can collect a variety of information...","og_url":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/","og_site_name":"UshopWell.com","article_published_time":"2025-03-12T22:03:11+00:00","author":"UShopWell","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"UShopWell","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/"},"author":{"name":"UShopWell","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#\/schema\/person\/6fd1f9e0ff932e534c86c70d5acff0fc"},"headline":"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play","datePublished":"2025-03-12T22:03:11+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/"},"wordCount":149,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Technology"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/","url":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/","name":"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play - UshopWell.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-03-12T22:03:11+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/android-apps-laced-with-north-korean-spyware-found-in-google-play\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Android apps laced with North Korean spyware found in Google Play"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/","name":"UshopWell.com","description":"The Premiere Online Marketplace","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#organization","name":"UshopWell","url":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/pandaSwea.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/pandaSwea.png","width":365,"height":359,"caption":"UshopWell"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/#\/schema\/person\/6fd1f9e0ff932e534c86c70d5acff0fc","name":"UShopWell","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4adb372cadd43b4d4c57964dab95b0f69618bf960d131c4acf49d96d6bbc9c6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4adb372cadd43b4d4c57964dab95b0f69618bf960d131c4acf49d96d6bbc9c6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4adb372cadd43b4d4c57964dab95b0f69618bf960d131c4acf49d96d6bbc9c6e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"UShopWell"},"url":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/author\/kburnettu\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104711\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ushopwell.com\/ublog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}