Security researchers have discovered a new variant of spyware that’s targeting iOS and Android users as part of an international sextortion scam. According to a blog post by researchers at cyber security firm Lookout, the spyware, called Goontact, has been found in multiple Asian countries and targets users of illicit sites and steals personal information stored on their mobile devices. Researchers said the types of sites used to distribute these malicious apps and the information exfiltrated suggests that the ultimate goal is extortion or blackmail. The spyware often disguises itself as secure messaging applications and can exfiltrate a wide range of data, such as device identifiers and phone number, contacts, SMS messages, photos on external storage, and location information. While it is not presently known who is behind Goontact, it is the newest addition to a crime affiliate’s arsenal, rather than nation-state actors, said, researchers.
Full story here: https://blog.lookout.com/lookout-discovers-new-spyware-goontact-used-by-sextortionists-for-blackmail
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