December 11, 2024 at 07:30AM
Cybersecurity researchers revealed the EagleMsgSpy surveillance program, allegedly used by Chinese police since 2017, to gather extensive data from mobile devices. Operating through an installer and a headless client, it captures messages, call logs, and location data, requiring physical access to activate. It targets law enforcement applications, indicating its serious security implications.
**Meeting Takeaways on EagleMsgSpy Surveillance Tool:**
1. **Discovery and Purpose**:
– Cybersecurity researchers have identified EagleMsgSpy, a surveillance tool used by Chinese police to collect data from mobile devices as a lawful intercept tool since at least 2017.
2. **Components of the Tool**:
– The surveillanceware comprises two parts: an installer APK and a headless surveillance client.
– It collects a wide range of data, including messages, screenshots, screen recordings, audio recordings, contact information, location data, and more.
3. **Developer Attribution**:
– The tool is attributed to Wuhan Chinasoft Token Information Technology Co., Ltd, with evidence pointing to its usage by law enforcement agencies in Mainland China.
4. **Operational Requirements**:
– Activation of EagleMsgSpy requires physical access to the target device. The installation can occur via QR codes or USB connections.
5. **Functional Capabilities**:
– The tool can intercept messages from popular apps (QQ, Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat), record screens, capture audio, and gather various device statistics.
– Data is compressed and sent to a command-and-control (C2) server for monitoring and further instructions.
6. **Technical Sophistication**:
– Recent versions utilize ApkToolPlus for obfuscation, with communication occurring over WebSockets and the STOMP protocol.
7. **Administrative Control**:
– An administrative panel accessible via authentication allows users to trigger real-time data collection from infected devices.
8. **Potential iOS Component**:
– There are hints at the existence of an iOS version of EagleMsgSpy, although no such artifacts have been identified in use.
9. **Legal and Ethical Implications**:
– The tool has been linked to surveillance practices targeting specific communities, raising concerns over privacy and human rights.
10. **Additional Findings**:
– Lookout identified IP addresses associated with EagleMsgSpy that are also linked to other Chinese surveillance tools used against Tibetan and Uyghur populations.
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