Android 'Safety' App Was Actually Spying on People for Years
Catwatchful, an Android app designed to run in stealth mode, was pitched as a way for parents to monitor their children, TechCrunch reported. But the app, which operated outside of the Google Play store, went far beyond basic tracking. It quietly uploaded everything from text messages and photos to real-time location data and ambient audio, all without the victim's knowledge.
A recently discovered security flaw exposed the app's entire customer database, including more than 62,000 email addresses and passwords used by those who installed the spyware. The breach also revealed stolen data from 26,000 victim devices, many located in Mexico, Colombia, India, and other countries in Latin America and South Asia.
Catwatchful relied on physical access to install, allowing it to bypass app store scrutiny. Once active, it was virtually invisible to the user, with a hidden backdoor code to bring it up only when prompted. The app also tapped into device microphones and cameras, pushing the limits of what 'monitoring' software should be allowed to do.
And while the app's victims never saw it coming, the breach also compromised the operation's creator. The database exposed the identity of the developer behind the spyware, linking him directly to the stolen data and Firebase servers hosting it. Attempts to reach him have gone unanswered.
Google, alerted to the breach, said it has added new protections to detect Catwatchful with Play Protect, its built-in Android security scanner. But as of now, the app's backend remains active.
Catwatchful is just the latest in a troubling trend.
Several stalkerware tools have leaked or been hacked this year, reinforcing how insecure and invasive these apps truly are. While marketed as parenting tools, many of them enable covert surveillance in relationships or workplaces, crossing legal and ethical lines.
Android users can check for Catwatchful by dialing 543210 into the phone app. If it appears, it's installed, and it's time to remove it.
In a tech-driven world, the promise of safety often comes with a hidden cost. With Catwatchful exposed, it's clear that in the age of smartphones, the line between protection and intrusion isn't always where you think it is.Android 'Safety' App Was Actually Spying on People for Years first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 3, 2025
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