Three apps that are targeting government officials have been identified by SentinelLabs, a cybersecurity company. These apps, disguising themselves as YouTube apps, are designed to deceive users into downloading them. The apps, named YouTube and Piya Sharma, lack certain features of the original YouTube app and appear more like internet browsers. It is believed that the Piya Sharma app is used in romance-based scams.

These fake YouTube apps are not found on the Google Play Store. Instead, they are distributed through social media platforms and fake landing pages. During the installation process, these apps require a concerning number of permissions. Some permissions, such as microphone access, may seem reasonable for video apps, while others, like the ability to send and view SMS, should raise suspicions.

Underneath their facade, these apps are actually CapraRAT malware. They can perform various invasive actions, including stealing personal information like call logs, text messages, and GPS data. They are also capable of recording audio and video, initiating phone calls, taking screenshots, and manipulating system settings.

Apart from stealing information, these apps can facilitate identity theft campaigns and phishing attacks. SentinelLabs suggests that the group behind these apps, Transparent Tribe (APT36), might be working for the Pakistani government, with their primary targets being members of the Indian army, government officials, Indian human rights activists, and individuals involved in diplomatic work in Kashmir.

To avoid falling victim to such fake apps, it is crucial to download apps only from trusted sources like the Google Play Store.