It’s no secret that AI is being added to everything. The companies behind these initiatives want us to believe that AI is improving our lives, but clearly AI is also being used in nefarious ways. A new discovery shows that Google’s own Gemini AI is being used to help run malware on a variety of Android devices.
ESET Cybersecurity researchers recently discovered a new type of malware called ‘PromptSpy’. This is different from previous malware that uses machine learning. Every Android device is slightly different, and PromptSpy uses generative AI to adapt to each device in real-time.
Here’s how it works: Almost every Android device has an app that allows users to[最近使ったアプリ]There is some functionality that allows you to pin or lock the list (different from app pinning). This ensures that your app will continue to run in the background even if the user hasn’t opened it in a while. If an app is not pinned, the Android OS will eventually close it and allocate resources elsewhere. Malware can use this feature to continue operating stealthily in the background.
The problem with malware is that manufacturers vary widely in how devices pin or lock apps. So PromptSpy feeds an XML dump of the current screen to Gemini, which uses it to identify the device and send appropriate instructions to PromptSpy on how to pin the app. Then try to pin the app and have Gemini double-check that it worked. This will happen in a loop until you confirm that the app has been successfully pinned.
Once PromptSpy has access to your device, it can read lock screen PINs or passwords, record unlock pattern videos, capture screenshots and screen activity whenever you want, and generally monitor what you’re doing. It also contains a VNC module, which is especially dangerous because it allows a remote attacker to take full control of the device as if they were holding it in their hands.
But the fun doesn’t stop with AI. Once users figure out what’s going on, PromptSpy makes it difficult to stop by placing a transparent square over the “Uninstall” or “Deactivate” button. You think you’re getting rid of it, but you’re actually tapping into a dead zone where nothing happens.
The good news is that this is not yet widely available at ESET and may still be in the testing or proof-of-concept stage. However, the sample was found on a domain impersonating JPMorgan Chase, so the theft intent is clear. If you feel like you’ve been infected by something as nasty as this, ESET researchers recommend rebooting into safe mode. This will disable third-party apps and ensure that nothing gets in your way when uninstalling malware.
Via: Bleeping Computer
