The Interior Ministry of Uzbekistan detained five people on suspicion of spreading malicious software for Android smartphones. The information was confirmed by the Cybersecurity Center.
According to investigators, the perpetrators distributed APK files with viruses through Telegram groups. After installation, these applications gave them access to victims’ SMS messages, contacts, and call history. This allowed them to steal money from citizens’ bank cards.
Searches and inspections of the suspects’ smartphones revealed that the total damage amounted to about 3 billion soums (approximately USD 242,000). At least 133 people became victims.
The Interior Ministry specified that the group included 11 individuals from different countries. Work is ongoing to identify and detain other members of the scheme.
The detentions were carried out as part of the operational-preventive campaign “Safe Cyberspace.”