![\"Android](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Android-bots-standing-over-a-Pixel-phone-with-various-notifications.jpg\"\/ "\\"Android")
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Mishaal Rahman \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n
TL;DR<\/p>\n
Think you\u2019re beefing up your Android phone\u2019s security? If the antivirus app<\/a> you just installed came from a random Telegram or a suspiciously out-of-context message from a friend, you might\u2019ve just invited a spy into your pocket.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/strong><\/p>\n A daily Kaspersky blog post<\/a> says a new piece of Android spyware called LunaSpy has been making the rounds since at least February 2025, slipping onto phones through messaging apps. Sometimes it\u2019s pitched as an antivirus, and other times it\u2019s so-called banking protection.<\/p>\n Either way, once you install it, it puts on a convincing show. It runs a fake scan, flashing scary \u201cthreats found\u201d warnings, and then asking for a laundry list of permissions under the guise that it can fix them.<\/p>\n Those permissions aren\u2019t for fixing anything. Behind the curtain, LunaSpy can swipe passwords from browsers and messengers<\/a>, record audio and video, read your texts, track your location, and even run commands on your device. The latest version even has unused code to steal your photos \u2014 possibly a preview of what\u2019s coming next.<\/p>\n All of that data goes back to attackers through a sprawling web of about 150 servers.<\/p>\n This means that you just need to be more vigilant than ever about what you\u2019re downloading. Don\u2019t grab APKs from messenger links, even if they come from someone you know, as their account could be hacked. And if an antivirus you\u2019ve never heard of asks for access to everything on your phone, that\u2019s a good time to hit uninstall.<\/p>\n