Google Shuts Down Phone Spyware Hosting Thousands Devices

Google has shut down Catwatchful, a spyware operation hosted on its Firebase platform that was used to secretly monitor and steal data from thousands of Android phones. Catwatchful disguised itself as a child monitoring app but functioned as stalkerware, requiring physical access to install and then hiding from the victim while uploading private messages, photos, location, and other sensitive data to a dashboard accessible by the installer. The shutdown came about a month after TechCrunch alerted Google to the operation, highlighting concerns over why it took so long for Google to act despite its terms prohibiting malicious software. Security researchers discovered that Catwatchful's backend had a major vulnerability exposing over 62,000 customer email addresses and plaintext passwords without requiring authentication. The spyware's developer, Omar Soca Charcov from Uruguay, did not respond to requests for comment. This case marks one of many recent spyware operations leaking sensitive data, raising ongoing issues about platform responsibility and user privacy.