Advancements in technology have made doing countless tasks much easier. While it's great to be able to search for recipes on our phones, access news from across the globe in an instant, and stay connected with friends and family no matter where we are, it’s also just as important to remember the dangers lurking in this new yet unfamiliar digital world.

We have many reasons to remain vigilant in these times, one of which is the threat of our privacy being breached without our knowledge.



Cybersecurity experts at ESET recently warned that a popular Android app is covertly spying on its users, and Android phone owners need to act fast to protect themselves.

This malicious app is known as iRecorder, and not only does it steal pictures, files and web information on Android devices, but it also records short audio snippets for unknown purposes every 15 minutes by hijacking the user's microphone.


It's a technique dubbed as a ‘malicious update’, as the harmful features didn't appear when the app first launched three years ago.

Rather, the malware appeared shortly after the app’s launch in what seemed like a regular update.



Stranger still is that it even passed screening tests to make it onto the Google Play Store in the first place.

The app asks for permission to record audio and 'access photos, media and files’ upon installation, but there are no other requests hinting at its true intentions.


It's also been downloaded by more than 50,000 people in total, though Google has since removed it from the Play Store. Unfortunately, alternative Android markets still offer the app to download.

If you've installed iRecorder in the past, Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, recommends deleting the app ASAP so that your phone isn't open to being a target.



‘Although the app is now removed from the Google Play Store, it is advised to remove it from your phone if you installed it whilst it was still live,’ he said.

‘By deleting the app, the phone will remain safe from prying eyes and ears.’

He also encouraged phone holders to make use of the Google Play Protect feature, which allows for your apps to be scanned for malware.

To use it, just tap Google Play on your Android device, select your profile in the top right, press Play Protect, and then hit Scan.

It will then tell you if any malware is present, in which case you should quickly remove it.



ESET also claims that the malicious software within iRecorder uses a powerful open-source tool known as ‘AhMyth’. Interestingly, AhMyth has previously been employed by the much-feared cyberespionage group Transparent Tribe, which targets governments and military organisations in South Asia.

This isn't the only spyware that could potentially threaten your device. Just weeks prior to this iRecorder warning, security firm Kaspersky uncovered 11 apps on the Google Play Store containing ‘Fleckpe’, a type of malware.

The culprits included ‘Photo Effect Editor’ and ‘Beauty Slimming Photo Editor’, which were both deleted by Google after they had been identified.

But don't let all this put you off updating your phone – more damage can usually be done by not installing device updates, according to Mr Moore.



So, members, the takeaway is simple: remain vigilant and stay up to date with your device's security features, delete iRecorder if you have it on your device, and always double-check what permissions you give to apps before using them.


Taking these simple steps could protect you against cyber criminals and ensure that your personal data remains private.
If you have any tips or stories to share about avoiding spyware, then please let us know in the comments below.