A new kind of Android remote access Trojan (RAT) is soon expected to start targeting uses, as its builder is now publicly available on malware forums.
The newcomer, named SpyNote, has some very similar features to other popular Android RATs including DroidJack and OmniRat, Palo Alto Networks analysts report. After carefully looking though the features they have discovered, they came to the conclusion that SpyNote provides the cybercriminals with a huge range of malicious actions.
Because of its diversified feature set, SpyNote has the ability to download and install new apps without permission and even to update itself. Apart from that, it can invade your phone and view your SMSs, make calls or overhear the calls you are making or taking, retrieve your contact list, listen to record audios you have made or even use your device`s camera in real time.
SpyNote also has access to some very detailed information such as your Wi-Fi MAC address, the IMEI number of your device and phone`s last GPS location.
Like these features aren’t disturbing enough, what`s even more concerning is the fact that SpyNote doesn’t need a root access on the device.
Now, the second version of SpyNote allows impostors to create their own variant of the Android RAT, which will be able to communicate with C&C servers while the building process in still in progress.
It is not clear yet if the malware will be freely available on underground hacking forums of the cybercriminal wannabes will have to pay for it. Experts think that, by logic, SpyNote`s developer would want to gain a profit from their product but, with the builder already available, they may not be able to accomplish their goals.
