A brand new Android malware has been found hidden inside trojanized variations of the Alpine Quest mapping app, which is reportedly utilized by Russian troopers as a part of warfare zone operational planning.
Attackers promote the trojanized app as a free, cracked model of the premium Alpine Quest Professional, utilizing Telegram channels and Russian app catalogs for distribution.
AlpineQuest is a official GPS and topographic mapping app for Android utilized by adventurers, athletes, search-and-rescue groups, and army personnel, valued for its offline capabilities and precision.
The app has two variations: a free Lite model with restricted options and a paid Professional model that is freed from monitoring libraries, analytics, and commercials.
The adware, which was found by researchers at Russian cell antivirus firm Physician Net, hides inside a totally working Alpine Quest app, lowering suspicion and creating worthwhile knowledge theft alternatives.
As soon as launched, it makes an attempt to steal communication knowledge and delicate paperwork from the machine, probably revealing particulars about military operations. Particularly, the adware performs the next actions:
- Sends the person’s cellphone quantity, contacts, geolocation, file data, and app model to attackers.
- Screens location modifications in real-time and sends updates to a Telegram bot.
- Downloads further modules to steal confidential recordsdata, particularly these despatched by way of Telegram and WhatsApp.
- Seeks the ‘locLog’ file from Alpine Quest, which accommodates location historical past logs.
Physician Net tracks the beforehand undocumented adware as ‘Android.Spy. 1292.origin’ however didn’t make any attributions about its origin in its report. Indicators of compromise are accessible right here.
Supply: Physician Net
Turning the tables
The tactic of focusing on troopers was beforehand related to Russian hacking operations, usually linked to state-sponsored risk teams accumulating intelligence for the Russian military.
In December 2022, hackers utilizing a compromised Ukrainian Ministry of Protection e mail account tried subsequent infections by utilizing DELTA, a Ukrainian intelligence assortment and administration system as bait.
In October 2024, the Russian risk group ‘UNC5812’ focused Ukrainian conscripts with Home windows and Android malware by way of a pretend company named ‘Civil Protection.’
Extra just lately, in February 2025, Google researchers revealed that Russian risk actors of the APT44 group used malicious QR codes to trick targets into syncing their Sign accounts with unauthorized gadgets.
The invention of the trojanized AlpineQuest app reveals that these sneaky assaults are orchestrated from each ends of the battle, as intelligence assortment stays essential in gaining battlefield benefit.
