URGENT ANDROID ALERT • MOBILE SPYWARE

Fake “Telegram X” App Spies on Your Android Phone (New ‘Baohuo’ Backdoor). How to Check & Remove It NOW.

By CyberDudeBivash • October 29, 2025 •

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TL;DR: CISO’s Action Plan

A new, highly sophisticated Android spyware, **’Baohuo’ (Android.Backdoor.Baohuo.1.origin)**, is spreading via trojanized ‘Telegram X’ apps downloaded from third-party app stores. It has infected over 58,000 devices, including phones, tablets, and car computers.

The Threat:** This is a catastrophic threat to any BYOD program. The malware steals the user’s **entire SMS inbox** (defeating SMS-based 2FA), **contact list**, and **clipboard data** (stealing passwords and crypto keys).
**The TTPs:** This is not amateur malware. It uses the Xposed framework to hide its activity at runtime and is the first known Android malware to use a **Redis database for C2**, making it highly resilient.
**The Fix:** Your employees are the target. The only 100% effective defense is a non-negotiable policy: **BLOCK all app sideloading** on devices that access corporate data.
**The Response:** Use the step-by-step removal guide in this report to help your affected employees. Your SOC must assume all SMS-based 2FA is compromised and hunt for anomalous logins.

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Enterprise BYOD & Mobile Security Policy Template (PDF)

Your attack surface is now in your employees’ pockets. Get our ready-to-use policy template to manage the risk of sideloaded apps, spyware, and the “Baohuo” threat in your corporate environment.Get the Policy Template (Email required)

Definitive Guide: Table of Contents

Part 1: The Executive & User Briefing — A New Generation of Android Spyware

A new, highly invasive Android spyware campaign, which security firm Dr.Web has named **’Baohuo’ (Android.Backdoor.Baohuo.1.origin)**, is actively spreading across the globe. This is not just adware; it is a sophisticated backdoor that gives attackers **near-total control over your device** and, specifically, your Telegram account.

The malware masquerades as a trojanized version of the legitimate **”Telegram X”** application, a popular alternative client for the messaging service. To lure victims, attackers are running deceptive ad campaigns inside other apps and on malicious websites, promising “dating” or “free video chat” features. These ads lead users to third-party app stores like APKPure and ApkSum, where they are tricked into “sideloading” the malicious app.

Once infected, the malware’s primary goal is to steal your **entire SMS message history**, your **full contact list**, and all data copied to your **clipboard**. This is a catastrophic loss of privacy. For a corporate CISO, this is a “BYOD nightmare” scenario: the malware can intercept SMS-based 2FA codes for your corporate VPN and SaaS apps, and steal credentials that an employee might copy to their clipboard.

Part 2: Technical Deep Dive — Anatomy of the “Baohuo” Backdoor

Baohuo represents a significant leap in Android malware sophistication. Its danger lies in its advanced evasion and C2 mechanisms.

The Kill Chain: From Lure to Total Compromise

**The Lure:** A user in a legitimate app sees an in-app ad for a “Telegram X with Video Dating”.
**The Sideload:** The ad redirects to a malicious website or third-party app store (like APKPure) where the user downloads and installs the trojanized APK.
**The Deception:** The installed app functions *exactly* like the real Telegram X, preventing user suspicion.
**Runtime Manipulation (Xposed):** The malware uses the **Xposed framework** to “hook” into the legitimate Telegram X processes at runtime. This allows it to manipulate the app from the inside.
**Stealth & Evasion:** Using these hooks, the malware can hide its own activity. It can **conceal specific chats** from the user, and most critically, it can **hide unauthorized devices** from the “Active Sessions” list, making it impossible for the user to see that the attacker is logged into their account.
**Novel C2 Infrastructure (Redis):** This is the most significant innovation. Baohuo is the **first known Android malware to use a Redis database** as a primary command and control (C2) channel. This provides a highly resilient, flexible, and redundant C2 mechanism that is extremely difficult for security services to block or take down.
**Total Data Theft:** The malware receives commands from the Redis DB to exfiltrate all contacts, all SMS messages, and any data (like passwords or crypto keys) copied to the clipboard. It also uploads the user’s Telegram credentials and device status every three minutes.

Part 3: The Defender’s Playbook — How to Check & Remove It (A Step-by-Step Guide)

If you have downloaded *any* app from outside the Google Play Store, you must assume you are at risk. Here is the emergency action plan.

Step 1: Check for the Infection (Are You at Risk?)

**Check Your App Source:** Did you download Telegram X (or any other app) from a link in an ad or a third-party website? If yes, you are at high risk.
**Audit Your Apps:** Go to **`Settings` > `Apps` > `See all apps`**. Carefully review every single app on your phone. Look for any app you do not recognize, or any app (like a “photo editor” or “video chat”) that you installed from a suspicious source.
**Check for Symptoms:** Is your phone suddenly very slow? Is your battery draining faster than usual? Are you seeing pop-up ads that won’t go away? These are all signs of malware.
**Use Google Play Protect:** Open the **Google Play Store**, tap your profile icon, and select **`Play Protect`**. Tap **`Scan`** to have Google check your apps for known malicious behavior.

Step 2: The Emergency Removal Procedure (If You Suspect Infection)

You must act immediately to remove the malware and cut off its access.

**Reboot into Safe Mode:** This is the most critical first step. Press and hold your phone’s power button. When the power-off options appear, **press and hold** the “Power off” icon until you see a “Reboot to safe mode” prompt. Tap “OK”. Safe Mode disables all third-party apps, which should stop the malware from running.
**Find and Uninstall the Malicious App:** While in Safe Mode, go to **`Settings` > `Apps` > `See all apps`**. Find the fake “Telegram X” or any other app you identified as suspicious. Tap it, and then tap **`Uninstall`**.
**If You Can’t Uninstall (The “Grayed Out” Button):** This means the malware has given itself “Device Administrator” privileges.
- Go to **`Settings` > `Security` > `Device Admin Apps`** (this path may vary).
- Find the malicious app in the list and **uncheck the box** or **toggle it off** to deactivate its privileges.
- Now, go back to `Settings > Apps` and you should be able to uninstall it.
**Reboot Your Phone Normally:** This will exit Safe Mode.
**Run a Professional Mobile Security Scan:** This is essential to clean up any leftover files. Go to the **Google Play Store** (your only trusted source) and install a top-tier mobile security app.

Step 3: The Post-Removal Security Hardening

**Change Your Passwords:** Immediately change the passwords for all your critical accounts (Google, banking, social media), as the malware may have stolen them from your clipboard.
**Clear Browser Cache:** Go to your browser’s settings and clear your cache and data to remove any malicious redirects.
**Enable 2-Step Verification:** On your Google Account and any other sensitive account, enable 2-Step Verification (MFA).

Part 4: The CISO’s Briefing — The BYOD Nightmare and the Mandate for Zero Trust

For CISOs, ‘Baohuo’ is not a consumer threat; it is a critical enterprise security failure waiting to happen. The widespread infection of over 58,000 devices, including tablets and car systems, confirms that this malware is in your extended network.

The Risk: SMS-Based 2FA is Now Broken

The “crown jewel” of this attack is the theft of the **entire SMS inbox**. Your enterprise security model, if it relies on SMS as a 2FA factor for VPN or cloud app access, is now **fundamentally broken**. An attacker with this malware on an employee’s personal phone can intercept your 2FA code, compromise their corporate account, and gain a trusted foothold inside your perimeter.

The Mandate: Enforce a “Zero Sideloading” & “Zero Trust” Policy

This incident is a powerful business case for two non-negotiable strategic mandates:

**A “Zero Sideloading” BYOD Policy:** You must use your Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solution to **block the installation of apps from “Unknown Sources”** on any device that accesses corporate data. There is no other way to prevent this infection vector.
**A True Zero Trust Identity Model:** You must migrate all 2FA from SMS to more secure, phishing-resistant factors, such as hardware keys or dedicated, certificate-based authenticator apps. You must assume the endpoint is hostile.

The risk is no longer just the device; it’s the entire ecosystem of third-party apps and the user’s behavior. A modern defense must account for all three.

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About the Author

CyberDudeBivash is a cybersecurity strategist with 15+ years in mobile security, malware analysis, and Zero Trust architecture, advising CISOs across APAC. [Last Updated: October 29, 2025]

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