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Access Call Log

On Android, an adversary could call standard operating system APIs from a malicious application to gather call log data, or with escalated privileges could directly access files containing call log data.

On iOS, applications do not have access to the call log, so privilege escalation would be required in order to access the data.

ID: T1433
Sub-techniques:  No sub-techniques
Tactic Type: Post-Adversary Device Access
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Tactic: Collection
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Platforms: Android, iOS
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MTC ID: APP-13
Version: 1.1
Created: 25 October 2017
Last Modified: 18 September 2019
Provided by LAYER 8

Procedure Examples

ID Name Description
S0309 Adups

Adups transmitted call logs.[1]
S0304 Android/Chuli.A

Android/Chuli.A stole call logs.[2]
S0292 AndroRAT

AndroRAT collects call logs.[3]
S0425 Corona Updates

Corona Updates can collect the device’s call log.[4]
S0550 DoubleAgent

DoubleAgent has accessed the call logs.[5]
S0320 DroidJack

DroidJack captures call data.[6]
S0405 Exodus

Exodus Two can exfiltrate the call log.[7]

S0182 FinFisher

FinFisher accesses and exfiltrates the call log.[8]
S0551 GoldenEagle

GoldenEagle has collected call logs.[5]
S0421 GolfSpy

GolfSpy can obtain the device’s call log.[9]
S0544 HenBox

HenBox has collected all outgoing phone numbers that start with "86".[10]
S0463 INSOMNIA

INSOMNIA can retrieve the call history.[11]
S0407 Monokle

Monokle can retrieve call history.[12]
S0399 Pallas

Pallas accesses and exfiltrates the call log.[8]
S0316 Pegasus for Android

Pegasus for Android accesses call logs.[13]
S0289 Pegasus for iOS

Pegasus for iOS captures call logs.[14]
S0539 Red Alert 2.0

Red Alert 2.0 can collect the device’s call log.[15]
S0549 SilkBean

SilkBean can access call logs.[5]
S0324 SpyDealer

SpyDealer harvests phone call history from victims.[16]
S0328 Stealth Mango

Stealth Mango uploads call logs.[17]
S0329 Tangelo

Tangelo contains functionality to gather call logs.[17]
S0558 Tiktok Pro

Tiktok Pro can collect the device’s call logs.[18]
S0418 ViceLeaker

ViceLeaker can collect the device’s call log.[19]
S0506 ViperRAT

ViperRAT can collect the device’s call log.[20]
S0489 WolfRAT

WolfRAT can collect the device’s call log.[21]

Mitigations

ID Mitigation Description
M1005 Application Vetting

On Android, accessing the device call log requires that the app hold the READ_CALL_LOG permission. Apps that request this permission could be closely scrutinized to ensure that the request is appropriate.
M1001 Security Updates

Decrease likelihood of successful privilege escalation attack.
M1006 Use Recent OS Version

Decrease likelihood of successful privilege escalation attack.

Detection

On Android 6.0 and up, the user can view which applications have permission to access call log information through the device settings screen, and the user can choose to revoke the permissions.

References

  1. Matt Apuzzo and Michael S. Schmidt. (2016, November 15). Secret Back Door in Some U.S. Phones Sent Data to China, Analysts Say. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  2. Costin Raiu, Denis Maslennikov, Kurt Baumgartner. (2013, March 26). Android Trojan Found in Targeted Attack. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  3. Lookout. (2016, May 25). 5 active mobile threats spoofing enterprise apps. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  4. T. Bao, J. Lu. (2020, April 14). Coronavirus Update App Leads to Project Spy Android and iOS Spyware. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  5. A. Kumar, K. Del Rosso, J. Albrecht, C. Hebeisen. (2020, June 1). Mobile APT Surveillance Campaigns Targeting Uyghurs - A collection of long-running Android tooling connected to a Chinese mAPT actor. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  6. Viral Gandhi. (2017, January 12). Super Mario Run Malware #2 – DroidJack RAT. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  7. Security Without Borders. (2019, March 29). Exodus: New Android Spyware Made in Italy. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  8. Blaich, A., et al. (2018, January 18). Dark Caracal: Cyber-espionage at a Global Scale. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  9. E. Xu, G. Guo. (2019, June 28). Mobile Cyberespionage Campaign ‘Bouncing Golf’ Affects Middle East. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  10. A. Hinchliffe, M. Harbison, J. Miller-Osborn, et al. (2018, March 13). HenBox: The Chickens Come Home to Roost. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  11. I. Beer. (2019, August 29). Implant Teardown. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
  1. Bauer A., Kumar A., Hebeisen C., et al. (2019, July). Monokle: The Mobile Surveillance Tooling of the Special Technology Center. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  2. Mike Murray. (2017, April 3). Pegasus for Android: the other side of the story emerges. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  3. Lookout. (2016). Technical Analysis of Pegasus Spyware. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  4. J. Chandraiah. (2018, July 23). Red Alert 2.0: Android Trojan targets security-seekers. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  5. Wenjun Hu, Cong Zheng and Zhi Xu. (2017, July 6). SpyDealer: Android Trojan Spying on More Than 40 Apps. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  6. Lookout. (n.d.). Stealth Mango & Tangelo. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  7. S. Desai. (2020, September 8). TikTok Spyware. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  8. GReAT. (2019, June 26). ViceLeaker Operation: mobile espionage targeting Middle East. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  9. M. Flossman. (2017, February 16). ViperRAT: The mobile APT targeting the Israeli Defense Force that should be on your radar. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  10. W. Mercer, P. Rascagneres, V. Ventura. (2020, May 19). The wolf is back... . Retrieved July 20, 2020.