Cybersecurity experts have uncovered a major data leak in the Cocospy and Spyic tracking apps, which are linked to Chinese developers and used for hidden smartphone monitoring. These apps, classified as stalkerware, allow attackers to collect victims’ messages, photos, calls, and other sensitive data.
Due to an identified bug, the personal data of millions of users, including email addresses of those who installed these apps, became publicly accessible. A security researcher collected 1.81 million email addresses from Cocospy users and 880,000 from Spyic users. According to TechCrunch, this data was transferred to Troy Hunt, the creator of the Have I Been Pwned service, where it was added to the leak database. In total, 2.65 million unique addresses were identified.
How Stalkerware Operates
Stalkerware apps like Cocospy and Spyic are often marketed as parental or corporate monitoring tools but are frequently used for unauthorized surveillance. TechCrunch has traced both programs to a Chinese developer known as 711.icu, whose website is now offline. These apps disguise themselves as system utilities on Android devices, and user data is transmitted through Amazon Web Services and Cloudflare servers. Network traffic analysis has shown that the servers sometimes respond with messages in Chinese.
Installing such apps usually requires physical access to an Android device and knowledge of its password. For iPhones and iPads, stalkerware can access device data through Apple’s iCloud without physical access, though this would require stolen Apple credentials.
Detecting and Removing Spy Apps
There are ways to check for and remove these apps from a smartphone, notes NIXSOLUTIONS. On Android, Cocospy and Spyic can be detected by dialing ✱✱001✱✱ on the phone’s keypad. They can also be found in the system settings. iPhone and iPad users should review their Apple ID settings, enable two-factor authentication, and check for unfamiliar data in their accounts. Activating Google Play Protect on Android can provide additional security.
Spy apps are prohibited in official app stores and require physical access to install. Their use is illegal and carries legal consequences, as it violates personal privacy. We’ll keep you updated as more information on cybersecurity threats emerges.