Cybersecurity researchers at Kaspersky have ?? ??? ?? ??uncovered a new and dangerous malware strain, which they believe has been active since at least Feb. 2024.
Dubbed SparkKitty, the malware is part of the broader SparkCat family — a line of Trojan horse programs designed to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. Kaspersky first discovered the original SparkCat malware in Jan. 2025, noting that it had already made its way onto both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
SEE ALSO: Scammers tricked TikTok users into downloading malware with AI videosLike many trojans, these malicious apps disguise themselves as legitimate software. In the crypto world, this can be especially risky. The researchers say that one such Android app, SOEX, posed as a messaging platform with cryptocurrency trading features. They say it racked up more than 10,000 downloads on Google Play before being flagged. Kaspersky researchers found a similar app on the iOS app store, as well as modified versions of the TikTok app posing as the real thing.
SparkKitty is specifically engineered to access users’ photo libraries. The reasoning being that many crypto users screenshot their recovery phrases — which are needed to restore access to their wallets — and store them in their camera rolls. By extracting these images, attackers can potentially gain full access to victims’ crypto accounts.
Malware like SparkKitty is built to scan for images that could be valuable to attackers. However, unlike its more targeted predecessor, SparkCat, SparkKitty isn’t especially selective — it scoops up a broad range of images and sends them back to the attackers, regardless of content, according to a detailed report on Secure List by Kapersky.
While the primary concern remains the theft of crypto wallet recovery phrases, broader access to users’ photo libraries opens the door to other risks, including potential extortion using sensitive or private images. That said, there appears to be no evidence that the stolen images have been used for blackmail or similar schemes.
Kaspersky reports that the malware campaign has primarily targeted users in Southeast Asia and China. Most of the infected apps were disguised as Chinese gambling games, TikTok clones, and adult entertainment apps, all tailored to users in those regions.
Topics Cybersecurity
Assistance League of Long Beach Hosts Exhibition of Artist Reiko Berg
13 best tweets of the week, including Dame Judi Dench, blackberries, and the Big Purchase
A pack of 9 CryptoPunk NFTs sold for $17 million at auction
Ebay's new adult item ban makes absolutely zero sense
FaZe find form to eliminate 9INE from Paris
'Oxygen' is a tense thriller to make you gasp: Netflix movie review
Colonial Pipeline reportedly paid millions for slow
Oprah and Prince Harry's show 'The Me You Can't See' premieres May 21
The new rosters debuting at BLAST Premier Fall Groups
Xiaomi is no longer blacklisted in the U.S.
Sources: nicoodoz to sub in for degster at IEM Dallas
How ExxonMobil shifts blame to individuals like you for climate change
Google IO 2021: Android phones get Android TV remote functionality
'A Quiet Place Part II' dials up the volume, with satisfying results
forZe take down 9z and go through to Roobet Cup playoffs
Xiaomi is no longer blacklisted in the U.S.
See the grim climate change graphs just restored to the EPA website
Ebay's new adult item ban makes absolutely zero sense
Shaking Things Up
Google IO 2021: Maps getting indoor Live View and detailed maps
Jason Statham takes on latest viral test: The bottle cap challengeStain removal videos on YouTube are strangely therapeuticThis trans teen wants to change the world through storytellingJulia Weldon on new opportunities for nonChill, that terrifying amusement park ride video is fakeAstrology tech can provide a safe space for the LGBTQ community, but there are limitationsTrump tweets about the 'Prince of Whales' and floods the internet with memesTrump liked a tweet about Rihanna's workGoogle Doodle celebrates July Fourth by letting you play baseball with your favorite foodsA look back at popular YouTubers' earliest videos Surfshark launches Data Leak Checker tool Take $300 off the M3 MacBook Pro at Amazon The Art of Work NASA Artemis rocket launch rehearsal delayed Marshall Emberton II hits record MotoGP livestream: Watch the 2024 Australian Grand Prix for free iPhone 16 owners are seeing massive battery drain on iOS 18 China’s legacy automaker warns of profit plunge amid price war · TechNode Wordle today: The answer and hints for October 18 Apple goes after spambots with Business Caller ID
0.1917s , 9843.5234375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【?? ??? ?? ??】New malware scans photos on both Android and iOS devices,Feature Flash
