bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Patrick Boehler

Cedric Sam

A fraudulent smartphone app claiming to coordinate the Occupy Central pro-democracy movement has circulated online, a group of programmers said on Wednesday.
The spyware is disguised as an application for Android smartphones or tablets, Code4HK, a group of coders trying to improve government transparency in Hong Kong, said.

Activists first received a link to the application in messages from a phone number unknown to them on Tuesday. “Check out this Android app designed by Code4HK for the coordination of Occupy Central!” the message read.
Lau Sau-yin, a spokeswoman for Occupy Central, said the organisation had nothing to do with the spyware. Code4HK also said that none of its members developed or distributed the application. “None of the Code4HK community has done any application on [Occupy Central] at the moment nor sent the message,” the statement read.
The number that shared the software could not be reached on Wednesday.
Once downloaded and installed the application requests access to information on users’ contacts, browsing history, approximate location, text messages, and phone call history.
Siu Cheong Leung, a senior consultant with the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre, said suspicious behaviour by the application included recording audio and obtaining the location of the device. "It's a malware with spy behaviour," he said.
"On the face it is not suspicious," he added. "However once it is installed, it will unpack data from itself to install a second mobile app," which then connects to a server based in South Korea. 
Code4HK suggested the application was generic spyware. “I agree it looks quite off the shelf, not specialised for us,” said Vincent Lau Chun-yin, a member of the group.
The group of coders was not able to immediately identify the origin of the spyware. The server hosting the application has a log-in in simplified Chinese predominantly used on the mainland. 


Former jailed ringleader of Hong Kong’s Occupy movement Shiu Ka-chun reveals cancer battle

Nothing brings Hongkongers and mainland Chinese closer together than sports

Former Hong Kong politician ‘major backer’ of firearms purchase from US in ‘Dragon Slaying Brigade’ plot, court hears

Article 23 and the tragedy of Hong Kong

Occupy Central

Fake Occupy Central app targets activists’ smartphones with spyware

Protestors hold Black Cloth match to Chater Road from Causeway Bay during Occupy Central with Love and Peace conduct a "Black Cloth March" on Sunday. Photo: Felix Wong

A screenshot of the information requested by the application. 

News

Hong Kong

Update | Fake Occupy Central app targets activists’ smartphones with spyware