New Variant of ClayRat Android Spyware Seize Full Device Control

The dangerous ClayRat Android spyware has evolved, gaining the ability to steal PINs, record screens, and disable security by abusing Accessibility Services. Users must beware of fake apps spreading through phishing sites and Dropbox.

ClayRat, a new Android spyware, has drastically improved its abilities, making it a far greater threat than anticipated. Mobile security firm Zimperium has released an important update on this spyware, revealing that this new version is not only harder to spot but has been upgraded to perform a full device takeover.

Initial Discovery and New Features

As previously covered by Hackread.com, Zimperium’s zLabs discovered ClayRat in October 2025 as a fast-spreading Android spyware mainly targeting users in Russia. It disguised itself as popular apps like WhatsApp, Google Photos, TikTok, and YouTube. Even then, it could steal private data, including call logs, SMS messages, and even capture victim photos with the phone’s camera.

This ...