Security News > 2023 > October > Fake 'RedAlert' rocket alert app for Israel installs Android spyware
Israeli Android users are targeted by a malicious version of the 'RedAlert - Rocket Alerts' app that, while it offers the promised functionality, acts as spyware in the background.
RedAlert - Rocket Alerts is a legitimate open-source app used by Israeli citizens to receive notifications of incoming rockets targeting the country.
According to Cloudflare, hackers of unknown motivation and origin are leveraging the elevated interest in the app and the fear of the attacks to distribute a fake version that installs spyware.
The iOS download redirects a user to the legitimate project's page on the Apple App Store, but the Android button directly downloads an APK file to be installed on the device.
The downloaded APK uses the legitimate code of the real RedAlert app, so it contains all the regular functionality and appears as a legitimate rocket alert tool.
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