Thursday☕️

Time Is Money

Aug 1, 2024 • 5 min read

Trending:

Mandrake Spyware On Android
Nancy Pelosi Stock Trades

Markets:

Yesterday’s U.S. stock market:

Yesterday’s commodity market:

Yesterday’s crypto market:

Mandrake Spyware On Android:

Recently, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky discovered a new version of the Mandrake Android spyware that infiltrated Google Play in 2022, remaining undetected for two years and amassing over 32,000 downloads. Mandrake is a highly advanced spyware that allows hackers to completely control infected devices. This means they can steal login information, access personal files, transfer money, block calls and messages, record screens, and even blackmail victims. Originally, Mandrake operated unnoticed from 2016 to 2020 before taking a two-year break.
It reappeared in 2022 in a new form on Google Play. In 2022, five apps containing the Mandrake spyware were uploaded to Google Play, with the latest one, called AirFS, being updated in March 2024 and removed shortly after. AirFS was disguised as a harmless file-sharing app and was downloaded over 30,000 times before being taken down. Some users noticed something suspicious and mentioned it in reviews, but as of July 2024, no antivirus software had identified these apps as malware.
The Mandrake spyware works in three steps: dropper, loader, and core. The dropper is the part that hides the malicious software and triggers the next stage. It uses a complex code to avoid detection and then activates the loader. Once the loader starts working, the Mandrake app asks for permissions to display over other apps on the screen. It then gathers information about the device and sends it to a remote command-and-control (C&C) server operated by the attackers.
The server then decides if the device is a valuable target. If it is, the server sends a command to download and run the core part of the spyware. The core is the main component that performs all the harmful activities, such as stealing information and controlling the device. Most of the 32,000 downloads were from users in Canada, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Peru, and the UK. In response, Google has improved its Google Play Protect service, which now includes live threat detection to help prevent such spyware from spreading and to protect Android users automatically.

Nancy Pelosi Stock Trades:

Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker and Democratic congresswoman from California, consistently garners attention for her financial disclosures, particularly regarding stock and options trades. Recently, she revealed two significant transactions. On July 26, Pelosi disclosed the purchase of 10,000 shares of NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA), valued between $1 million to $5 million.
On the same day, Pelosi reported selling 5,000 shares of Microsoft Corporation, also valued between $1 million to $5 million. This sale occurred just days before Microsoft released its fourth-quarter financial results, a move that has sparked interest and speculation about the timing. These trades are executed by her husband, Paul Pelosi, who is a venture capitalist with extensive experience in the financial markets.
This arrangement has been a point of scrutiny and interest, given the couple's significant investments and the potential implications for conflict of interest given her political position. In early July, Pelosi had already disclosed another purchase of 10,000 Nvidia shares and the sale of Tesla Inc. stock. Additionally, in November 2023, Pelosi revealed buying 50 call options on Nvidia, which have appreciated considerably since the initial purchase.

Statistic: