LunaSpy Android Spyware Masquerades as FSB Antivirus and Bundles Right Dialer

Positive Technologies researchers discovered a malicious APK named Антивирус ФСБ.apk that installs the legitimate Right Dialer application from developer Goodwy while embedding the LunaSpy spyware. The sample uses package name com.syscore.toolsuite and requests extensive permissions including Accessibility Service to enable broad device control. Dynamic analysis in PT Sandbox revealed command-and-control communication, privilege escalation, and creation of hidden files. Static analysis showed XOR-encrypted strings and an expanded command set that includes call recording via CallService, call redirection rules in JSON format, screen tree extraction, gesture simulation, and anti-analysis commands such as RESET_REBOOT and DISABLE_PLAY_PROTECT. The malware can exfiltrate call recordings in WAV format, perform taps and swipes, and revive camera and microphone permissions through overlay notifications. Researchers published file and network indicators of compromise including multiple IP addresses used by the operators.

HabrOctober 20, 2026Translated from Russian

Read at source

Researchers at Positive Technologies recently analyzed a suspicious APK file titled Антивирус ФСБ.apk that presents itself as an official antivirus from the Russian Federal Security Service. Upon installation and launch, the application displays the familiar interface of Right Dialer, a popular call-management app developed by Goodwy. The choice of this legitimate application appears deliberate because it requests numerous sensitive permissions such as access to contacts, call execution, camera, and microphone.

Examination of the AndroidManifest.xml revealed that the primary package is com.syscore.toolsuite rather than the expected com.goodwy.dialer. This discrepancy indicates that the original Goodwy code has been repackaged inside a new malicious wrapper belonging to the LunaSpy Android spyware family, an earlier version of which was previously documented by the same researchers.

Dynamic and Static Analysis Findings

Execution inside the PT Sandbox environment showed typical spyware behavior: communication with command-and-control servers, attempts to obtain elevated privileges, and creation of hidden files. Static analysis uncovered several technical improvements. Strings containing IP addresses and command names are now encrypted with the XOR algorithm to hinder analysis.

The command repertoire has been significantly expanded. New capabilities include:

GET_CALL_RECORDINGS and DOWNLOAD_CALL_RECORDING that enumerate and exfiltrate WAV files stored in getFilesDir()/call_recordings;
SET_REDIRECT_RULES and GET_REDIRECT_RULES that allow operators to substitute caller ID information for incoming, outgoing, or both call directions using JSON-defined rules;
Screen introspection via GET_SCREEN_TREE that recursively maps UI elements, their positions, text, and properties;
Gesture simulation commands such as PERFORM_TAP, PERFORM_SWIPE, PERFORM_INPUT_TEXT, PERFORM_PATTERN_UNLOCK, and others that leverage Accessibility Service and GestureDescription;
REVIVE_PERMISSIONS that displays an overlay notification to re-request camera and microphone access;
DISABLE_PLAY_PROTECT that disables Google’s application-verification setting.

Additional commands manage logging (REQUEST_LOGS, CLEAR_LOGS) and perform soft or deep resets of the spyware components, including an imitation of device reboot via RESET_REBOOT.

Indicators of Compromise

The researchers published the SHA-256 hash of the analyzed sample together with an extensive list of IP addresses observed communicating with the malware. The sample demonstrates a clear evolution from basic spying toward comprehensive remote control combined with anti-detection techniques.

Positive Technologies PT Sandbox LunaSpy Right Dialer Goodwy

ShareX Facebook LinkedIn Reddit

Meridian digestThe week's most consequential security stories, distilled into one briefing.See the digest

More in Malware & Botnets

Malware & Botnets

Yoba Campaign Uses Signed ChatGPT and Claude Binaries for DLL Sideloading and XMRig Deployment

Researchers at Check Point Research have uncovered the Yoba malware campaign that distributes fake desktop clients for ChatGPT and Claude through GitHub repositories. The attackers bundle legitimate signed executables from OpenAI and Anthropic with a malicious DLL that gets loaded via classic sideloading. Once executed, the loader establishes persistence using the Windows Task Scheduler and retrieves additional payloads through Telegram, DNS over HTTPS, and the Catbox file hosting service. The campaign ultimately deploys the XMRig cryptominer, which pauses mining activity when user interaction is detected to avoid detection. No compromise of OpenAI or Anthropic infrastructure was found; the attackers simply repurpose the companies' signed binaries and reputation. The operation primarily targets home users and small-to-medium businesses with Windows systems.

AntiMalwareOct 28, 2026Translated from Russian

Malware & Botnets

uCreator Spyware Infiltrates Modified Telegram, WeChat and GCash Builds on Android

Security researcher Ovi has published a detailed analysis of uCreator, also known as YingGai, a commercial Android spyware platform designed for surveillance and remote app control. The malware intercepts messages, verification codes and account data directly inside legitimate applications without requiring root privileges. Infection vectors include tampered Telegram, WeChat and GCash APKs distributed through unofficial sources, as well as the Onion Box container that launches the target app inside a controlled environment. Once active, uCreator hooks into the host process, reads Telegram’s local message database through client interfaces, captures two-factor authentication passwords and hides its own session from the user. The operation is supported by cloud-based command panels and exposed GitLab repositories that revealed server-side code and development history. Compatibility problems have been noted on Android 17, and the total number of victims remains unknown.

AntiMalwareOct 26, 2026Translated from Russian

Malware & Botnets

Researchers Deploy Cowrie Honeypot Disguised as NVIDIA H100 Server to Study SSH Botnet Tactics

A cybersecurity team set up a realistic Cowrie honeypot on a fake server equipped with four NVIDIA H100 GPUs, 128 AMD EPYC cores, and terabytes of storage to observe what SSH brute-force bots actually do after gaining access. The trap used a custom StickyAuth module that allowed entry only after several failed attempts and locked in the successful credential pair per IP address. Over the first 12.5 hours the system recorded 1,846 connections from 126 unique IPs, 175 successful logins, and 1,524 commands executed, with the majority of activity traced to a single botnet linked to the Outlaw group. The attackers deployed SSH keys signed mdrfckr, changed the root password, killed competing processes, installed cron jobs, and downloaded a mining archive called dota3 containing an IRC backdoor and its own SSH scanner. The researchers also identified three realism issues in the base Cowrie setup—limited grep flags, outdated filesystem paths in Debian 12, and inconsistent hostname reporting—and patched them to keep sophisticated bots engaged longer. An auxiliary LLM service later summarized each session in Telegram for easier analysis.

HabrOct 25, 2026Translated from Russian