Google warns of new spyware that spies on Android and iOS smartphones

Alphabet, the parent company of Googleissued an alert, on Thursday (23), about an Italian spyware that was used to spy on smartphone users with the operating systems android and iOS in Italy and Kazakhstan.

According to Google, the Italian company RCS Lab was responsible for creating the spyware. The company is known in the industry for developing espionage tools and has worked with police units in some European countries.

To the Reuters news agency, RCS Lab stated that all its products and services comply with European laws and that it does not support illegal activities of its customers. The company can intercept data, voices and track targets.

However, Google has raised concerns about this type of conduct, which could help “proliferate dangerous hacking tools and arm governments that wouldn’t be able to develop this type of technology in-house”.

Citizen Lab digital security researcher Bill Marczak pointed out that the spyware in question is not the most powerful already known, like Pegasus, but has the ability to read messages and view passwords of those infected by it.

Also according to Reuters, Google and Apple have already taken steps to prevent access to these tools on Android and iOS. The governments of Kazakhstan and Italy have yet to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, European and American regulators are evaluating possible new rules on the sale and importation of spyware. This market is growing, with more and more companies developing interception tools for governments.