Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) spies on anti-war Russians with advanced Android spyware, the legal rights group Perviy Otdel said Wednesday, citing a systems analyst who discovered the surveillance software on his phone.
In 2018, cloud security company Lookout identified a program called Monokle as spyware developed by the U.S.-sanctioned Russian defense contractor Special Technology Center.
Monokle’s sophisticated capabilities include recording the device’s screen, which exposes users’ passwords, and stealing data from third-party apps, among others.
Monokle attacks are “highly targeted” because the spyware appears in a “very limited” number of apps, Lookout wrote in July 2019. The apps that carry Monokle “include legitimate functionality, so user suspicion is not aroused,” Lookout said.
According to Perviy Otdel, systems analyst Kirill Parubets may have been the first person to uncover Monokle installed on his phone after FSB agents raided his apartment and seized his devices this spring.
The Canadian digital watchdog group Citizen Lab concluded the spyware on Parubets’ phone was likely an upgraded version of Monokle.
Parubets faced up to life in prison on “treason” charges for donating to Ukrainian organizations after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Parubets told Perviy Otdel the FSB agents returned his devices after he agreed to supply information about his other anti-war friend they were interested in.
Instead, Parubets fled Russia with his wife and eventually discovered the spyware.
Perviy Otdel said it believes Monokle was installed on Parubets’ phone to make sure he would not tip off his friend that they were also the target of the FSB’s investigation.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
