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Access Call Log
On Android, an adversary could call standard operating system APIs from a malicious application to gather call log data, or with escalated privileges could directly access files containing call log data.
On iOS, applications do not have access to the call log, so privilege escalation would be required in order to access the data.
Procedure Examples
Name | Description |
---|---|
Adups | |
Android/Chuli.A |
Android/Chuli.A stole call logs.[2] |
AndroRAT | |
Corona Updates |
Corona Updates can collect the device’s call log.[4] |
DroidJack | |
Exodus | |
FinFisher | |
GolfSpy | |
INSOMNIA | |
Monokle | |
Pallas | |
Pegasus for Android |
Pegasus for Android accesses call logs.[11] |
Pegasus for iOS |
Pegasus for iOS captures call logs.[12] |
SpyDealer | |
Stealth Mango |
Stealth Mango uploads call logs.[14] |
Tangelo | |
ViceLeaker |
ViceLeaker can collect the device’s call log.[15] |
ViperRAT | |
WolfRAT |
Mitigations
Mitigation | Description |
---|---|
Application Vetting |
On Android, accessing the device call log requires that the app hold the READ_CALL_LOG permission. Apps that request this permission could be closely scrutinized to ensure that the request is appropriate. |
Security Updates |
Decrease likelihood of successful privilege escalation attack. |
Use Recent OS Version |
Decrease likelihood of successful privilege escalation attack. |
Detection
On Android 6.0 and up, the user can view which applications have permission to access call log information through the device settings screen, and the user can choose to revoke the permissions.
References
- Matt Apuzzo and Michael S. Schmidt. (2016, November 15). Secret Back Door in Some U.S. Phones Sent Data to China, Analysts Say. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
- Costin Raiu, Denis Maslennikov, Kurt Baumgartner. (2013, March 26). Android Trojan Found in Targeted Attack. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
- Lookout. (2016, May 25). 5 active mobile threats spoofing enterprise apps. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
- T. Bao, J. Lu. (2020, April 14). Coronavirus Update App Leads to Project Spy Android and iOS Spyware. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- Viral Gandhi. (2017, January 12). Super Mario Run Malware #2 – DroidJack RAT. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
- Security Without Borders. (2019, March 29). Exodus: New Android Spyware Made in Italy. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
- Blaich, A., et al. (2018, January 18). Dark Caracal: Cyber-espionage at a Global Scale. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
- E. Xu, G. Guo. (2019, June 28). Mobile Cyberespionage Campaign ‘Bouncing Golf’ Affects Middle East. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- I. Beer. (2019, August 29). Implant Teardown. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
- Bauer A., Kumar A., Hebeisen C., et al. (2019, July). Monokle: The Mobile Surveillance Tooling of the Special Technology Center. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- Mike Murray. (2017, April 3). Pegasus for Android: the other side of the story emerges. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- Lookout. (2016). Technical Analysis of Pegasus Spyware. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
- Wenjun Hu, Cong Zheng and Zhi Xu. (2017, July 6). SpyDealer: Android Trojan Spying on More Than 40 Apps. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
- Lookout. (n.d.). Stealth Mango & Tangelo. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- GReAT. (2019, June 26). ViceLeaker Operation: mobile espionage targeting Middle East. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- M. Flossman. (2017, February 16). ViperRAT: The mobile APT targeting the Israeli Defense Force that should be on your radar. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- W. Mercer, P. Rascagneres, V. Ventura. (2020, May 19). The wolf is back... . Retrieved July 20, 2020.