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North Korean Government Hackers Snook Spyware on Android App Store
In a shocking revelation, cybersecurity firm Lookout has revealed that a group of hackers linked to the North Korean government successfully uploaded malicious apps onto the official Google Play store. The malware-laced applications were designed to target specific individuals in South Korea who speak English or Korean.
According to an exclusive report by TechCrunch, the spyware, dubbed KoSpy, was discovered on the platform and has been attributed to a highly targeted campaign likely aimed at residents of South Korea. The hackers’ success is particularly noteworthy, as they managed to deceive Google’s moderators into allowing their malicious apps onto the official store.
Some of the spyware apps found by Lookout were even listed in Korean, with user interfaces supporting both languages, further solidifying the theory that the target audience was primarily based in South Korea. The discovery also highlights the ongoing threat posed by North Korean hackers, who have been linked to various cyberattacks and espionage operations in the past.
“We don’t have any information about who specifically may have been targeted,” said Alemdar Islamoglu, a senior security intelligence researcher at Lookout. “But based on our analysis, we are confident that this was a highly targeted campaign.”
The names of the apps discovered by Lookout suggest that the hackers were aiming to target individuals in South Korea who speak English or Korean. Some of the app names were listed in Korean, while others had user interfaces supporting both languages.
In addition to the Google Play store, the spyware apps were also found on a third-party app store called APKPure. When reached for comment, an APKPure spokesperson stated that the company did not receive any emails from Lookout about the discovery.
The attribution of the malware-laced apps to North Korean hackers is based on various domain names and IP addresses previously linked to hacking groups APT37 and APT43, both known to be sponsored by the North Korean government.
