privacy violations

Security researchers from ESET discovered that 12 malicious Android chat applications, including Privee Talk, MeetMe, Let’s Chat, Quick Chat, Rafaqat رفاق, and Chit Chat, were found to covertly harvest users’ messages and deploy a remote access trojan called VajraSpy. Six of these apps were available on Google Play before being flagged for suspicious activity, resulting in approximately 1,400 downloads, primarily targeting users in India and Pakistan. The spyware could extract messages from encrypted chat platforms, record ambient sounds in real time, and intercept communications on apps like WhatsApp and Signal. The operators used honey-trap tactics to entice users into installing the apps, which requested permissions typical of espionage tools, such as RECORD_AUDIO and access to notifications and accessibility services. Users are advised to uninstall these apps and review permissions to protect against potential threats.