The Hermit Spyware

The “Hermit” is a name given to a Spyware developed by the Italian commercial spyware vendor RCS Lab.

According to Lookout, RCS Lab is in the same business as NSO Group, which gained notoriety for its Pegasus spyware, and sells spyware to government agencies.

This article will give further details about HERMIT Spyware for the IAS Exam.

Overview of Hermit Spyware

Similar to Pegasus, Hermit is capable of tracking calls, location tracking, reading text messages, accessing photos, recording audio, making and intercepting phone calls, and could gain root on Android devices. Some attackers would pose as the victim’s mobile carrier, sometimes with the carrier’s assistance, to trick the victim into downloading an app that would deliver the payload. Another vector used was posing as a legitimate messaging app.

It’s unclear whether the attackers actually got the ISPs to participate in the attack, or whether they had an insider who could perform these actions for them, but the result is dangerous.

These types of attacks should, in theory, be fairly limited towards very specific targets, such as journalists, activists, and politicians.

What are the effects of Hermit and how was it distributed?

As per the report made by Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG) Hermit is distributed via text messages which makes it appear as if it came from a legitimate source. It is capable of deuplicationing messages developed by telecom companies and thus tricks users into downloading them.

Once downloaded, the Hermit spyware also downloads additional components which it requires. Like other spyware it uses its modular capabilities to collect call logs, messages, photos, emails along with audio.

It can redirect phone calls and can expose the device’s exact location. It can also root phones, by controlling files from command-and-control servers.

Candidates can refer to the following links for more information on other bank exams