News Summary

Kaspersky researchers have discovered a new malware campaign, named SparkCat, affecting both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. This malware uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to scan screenshots for sensitive information, such as crypto wallet recovery phrases. It marks the first known instance of such malware penetrating Apple’s App Store. The malware, which has been active since March 2024, was found in apps that appear legitimate, including some food delivery services, while others were designed to lure victims. Apple has since removed 11 affected apps from the App Store, which shared code with 89 apps previously rejected or removed. The discovery underlines vulnerabilities in app store security, despite Apple’s rigorous measures. Google’s Play Store saw more than 242,000 downloads of infected apps. This highlights the growing cybersecurity threats on major mobile platforms.