Dark Herring ! Scam Campaign

A total of 470 malicious applications, collectively named Dark Herring, were used to target users in 70 countries in what appears to be the largest SMS scam campaign known to date.

Ongoing at least nearly close to 2 years, subscribing users to services that charge them with an average monthly premium of $15. Since the apps provided the expected functionality, the campaign was on for so many years. With millions of dollars in recurring revenue generated monthly, the attackers caused total losses of hundreds of millions.

Once installed on a device, the Dark Herring applications start communicating with the C&C server to send over the victim’s IP address, which is used to target the victim for direct carrier billing subscription. Victims are redirected to a url asking for mobile number for verification. But in the background, they are submitting for a premium service. Victims were unknown about this campaign only after the monthly recurring bills are gone high

The 470 Dark Herring applications were published to Google Play between March 2020 and November 2021, but all of them have been removed from the official store. However, they remain available through third-party stores.

The threat actors behind the campaign appear to have built infrastructure to handle the communication coming from several applications with unique identifiers and responding accordingly.

Once installed, the applications load into webview a first-stage endpoint hosted on CloudFront. Links to JavaScript files that are hosted on AWS are sent in response to the initial request. These allow the application to download resources needed to start the next stage of the process.

Due to the nature of Direct Carrier Billing, some countries might have been targeted with less success than others due to the consumer protections set in place by telcos. Based on the collected intel, the Dark Herring has attempted to infect over 105 million devices since March 2020.

Application Details

App Name	Last Updated
.online FunHub Videos	April 30, 2020
3D Hologram	July 29, 2021
4K Live Wallpaper	November 9, 2021
4K Stream	October 2, 2020
4K Wallpapers & HD Background	November 25, 2020
4×4 Jeep Evo	February 17, 2021
A1RRGA E5	February 3, 2021
Account Recovery	August 18, 2021
Adrenaline Riders Pro	October 12, 2021
Aestetic Wall	November 1, 2021
AI Translator +	October 27, 2021
Air Hockey Xtreme	October 5, 2021
Airplay Pro	March 24, 2021
Amazing Effects	September 17, 2020
Amazing videos	August 31, 2020
Amazing videos HD Plus	September 2, 2020
Amazing Videos Stream	October 14, 2020
Amazing Videos X	September 3, 2020
Amazing videos Zone	September 7, 2020
Amazing Videos Zone	January 29, 2021
Amazing Videoza	July 27, 2021
AR/E5T FRRE ZEE	January 25, 2021
ARTconvention	July 1, 2020
ARVideos X	August 18, 2020
Auto Theft Mobile	March 31, 2021
Basketball Hero 22	October 29, 2021
Beauty Cam	June 25, 2021
Best Mobile Games	August 4, 2020
Best Video Streaming	May 14, 2020
Best Video Tube	February 1, 2021
BestVid	August 26, 2020
Big Cargo Simulator	October 7, 2021
Billiards Royal Arena	October 27, 2021
Bitoro	October 20, 2021
Block Puzzle Pro	October 28, 2021
Box Play	June 12, 2020
Bus Driving Simulator	May 11, 2021
Bus Tour Simulator	October 7, 2021
Camera Booster Pro	July 13, 2021
Captain Football 21	September 8, 2021
CarrBuzz Pro	February 12, 2021
Cartoon Photo Editor	July 12, 2021
Casino – Gambling	July 9, 2021
Cast It	September 11, 2020
Cinema 3D	November 5, 2020
Cinema Box Pro	January 8, 2021
Cinema Box Pro X	September 29, 2021
Cinema Plus	September 28, 2020
Cinema World	November 6, 2020
Cinemonster	July 1, 2020
Cinemoza	July 14, 2020
City Bus Simulator 2	August 9, 2021
City Mafia	October 19, 2021
Clips	February 11, 2021
Color Sparkle	September 23, 2020
Combo Pro	September 2, 2020
ComboMix Pro	January 15, 2021
Connect Pro	October 21, 2021
Connecte	September 14, 2021
Connectify Ulltra	October 7, 2021
Connectly Plus	August 26, 2021
ConnectMe	August 9, 2021
Connectool	October 1, 2020
Connectool Pro	July 20, 2021
Connector Box Pro	July 28, 2021
Construction City 5	August 25, 2021
Construction Site Truck Simulator	October 12, 2021
Cooking Simulator 2	October 4, 2021
CornVideos	September 25, 2020
CosmoVideo	August 26, 2020
Country Car 2021 Opulence Driving Game	October 7, 2021
Crash King	June 8, 2021
Crowd Run: Stickman Running	October 13, 2021
Cryptoly	August 11, 2021
DeepFace Lab	January 21, 2021
DeepVideo	January 19, 2021
Doomix	June 12, 2020
Doomix Ultra	May 20, 2021
Drifting Legends	October 21, 2021
Drive Fast Unlimited	May 26, 2021
Drive Simulator	January 13, 2021
Driving Day	June 10, 2020
Driving Simulator	August 25, 2021
Editor Box Pro	October 30, 2020
Elite Soccer League Pro	October 18, 2021
Entertainment Hub	July 9, 2020
Entertainment X	March 25, 2021
Evo Driving Rover Club Pro	September 15, 2021
Evo Driving Urus Club Pro	September 15, 2021
Evogame	January 27, 2021
Ex Sports Online	August 11, 2021
Excavator Truck Simulator	October 12, 2021
Exopic	July 7, 2020
Exopic Pro	August 27, 2020
Faceapp Plus	July 19, 2021
Faceapp Pro+	August 23, 2021
FaceArt	August 27, 2021
Family Locator & GPS Tracker	September 15, 2020
Farm Village	September 2, 2021
Femenil	March 25, 2020
Femenil Pro	July 3, 2020
Femenil Pro Plus	August 24, 2020
Feminon+	July 15, 2020
Fi-Fa 2021	August 16, 2021
Film Maker & Video Editor Pro	October 1, 2021
Fit Life Pro	September 30, 2021
Flexi Videos	May 15, 2020
Flight Simulator	August 27, 2021
Flight Simulator 21	September 21, 2021
Flip 2 Fit	August 25, 2021
FlowFee Plus	November 1, 2021
Followers Guide	September 15, 2021
Foodie Pro	May 1, 2020
Football HERO 2021	June 2, 2021
Football League 22	October 8, 2021
Football Legends	March 16, 2021
Football Legends 2022	October 11, 2021
Football Sports TV	November 1, 2021
Football TV	May 6, 2021
Football TV Live	November 2, 2021
Fun Box	October 6, 2021
Fun Hub Pro Videos	November 17, 2020
Furious Driving Gold	August 6, 2021
Fusingly Live	November 6, 2020
Galaxy Tube	September 10, 2020
Game Yale	August 20, 2020
Gameified	May 4, 2020
GamePotion Pack	December 10, 2020
Gamepotion Plus	September 8, 2020
Games Addict	May 19, 2020
Games2learn	June 22, 2020
Gamesbox Alpha	October 21, 2020
GamesBox H5	November 12, 2020
GameX Lab	January 15, 2021
GameZeon Pro	October 16, 2020
Gamezo 2021	July 12, 2021
Gaming Pro	April 21, 2021
Gaming X	March 24, 2021
Garbage Truck Simulator	October 12, 2021
Go Sports	November 1, 2021
Golazo -HD Football Highlights	October 19, 2021
Grand Mafia Auto	July 9, 2021
Graphics Parlor	August 18, 2020
G-Snitch	May 21, 2021
Hacking Plus	October 29, 2021
Hacking Tutorials 2	October 29, 2021
HD Stream	July 30, 2021
HD Wally Pro	June 18, 2021
HD Zoom Camera	July 30, 2021
Hipz Wallpaper	September 16, 2020
Hiya	June 16, 2020
HoloFlix	October 7, 2020
Horse Championship	October 12, 2021
Humans VS Robots	July 7, 2021
Hunting Hero Pro	October 6, 2021
HypeVideo	August 25, 2020
Hypexa Live	November 6, 2020
Hypexa Pro	September 18, 2020
I.Box	April 28, 2021
iconnect pro	October 26, 2021
Image Restore	July 6, 2021
Incredible Videos Zone	November 18, 2020
Instant Translator	October 13, 2021
Instant Translator Pro	October 27, 2021
InterHub Videos	July 21, 2020
Irescue	July 28, 2021
Jeep Simulator Pro Plus	October 1, 2021
Joy Tactics Premium	November 2, 2020
Keyboard 3D Pix	July 2, 2021
Kids Police – Prank App	August 19, 2021
Kika Emoji Keyboard 3D	September 30, 2021
Kørespil Ultimativt Plus	November 1, 2021
Laki Beauty	September 8, 2020
Laki Expression	October 21, 2020
Laki Lady Style	August 3, 2021
Laki Lifestyle	August 31, 2020
Laki Lifestyle	September 24, 2020
Laki-Beauty & Health for Women	October 29, 2021
Language World	June 18, 2021
Laval Messages	August 4, 2021
Leaked Videos	May 13, 2020
LifeSaver SOS Pro	October 22, 2021
Lion Vibe	August 21, 2020
Lion Vibe Pro	January 12, 2021
Live Football Stream	November 2, 2021
Live Sport	August 11, 2021
Live Translator Pro	November 1, 2021
Love Chat	October 12, 2021
Ludo Games	August 11, 2020
Ludo Pro Club	October 4, 2021
Ludo Yar	August 6, 2021
Mad City	February 17, 2021
Mad Skate City	November 1, 2021
Magic Keyboard 3d	July 15, 2020
Magic Keyboard 3D Plus	September 4, 2020
Magisto : Video Maker And Editor Guide	October 4, 2021
Makeup Art Pro	September 27, 2021
Master Unlocker	September 16, 2021
Match	February 17, 2021
Matchy Match Pro	October 12, 2021
Max Guard	October 26, 2021
Meet Me	June 10, 2020
Mega Games	August 13, 2020
Mega Mix	April 20, 2021
Mega Mix Pro	August 4, 2021
Mega Switch	July 12, 2021
Messages Pro	November 4, 2021
Mini Marble Ball Hero	October 7, 2021
Mixabox	April 27, 2021
Mobikinz	September 9, 2020
Monster Truck	March 23, 2021
Monster Truck Derby	August 12, 2021
Monster Truck Riders	October 26, 2021
Movie Next	July 20, 2020
Movie Plex	August 17, 2020
Movie TV HUB Pro	October 19, 2021
Music Downloader	July 27, 2021
MusicHub	October 28, 2020
My Translator Pro	June 17, 2020
New Mobile Games	August 5, 2020
Offroad Jeep Simulator	June 3, 2021
Online Movies Streaming	October 20, 2021
Photiqa	July 17, 2020
Photo Lab +	September 7, 2021
Photo Translator	September 28, 2021
Photograph Labs Live	November 3, 2020
Photograph Labs Pro	June 8, 2020
Photograph Labs X	August 31, 2020
Photograph studio	June 30, 2021
Photonetic	July 13, 2020
Photoroom CC	November 11, 2020
PhotoSity Lab	January 15, 2021
Pics Effect Pro	August 17, 2021
Picsify	February 23, 2021
Pictasia	October 2, 2020
Pictasia Plus	August 28, 2020
Pino Flix X	September 1, 2020
PinoFlix	July 24, 2020
Pinoflixx	April 12, 2021
Pixelen	April 2, 2020
Pixels	July 15, 2021
Pixicon	July 17, 2020
PixieSky+	September 2, 2021
Pixover Pro	October 13, 2021
PixSuite	August 4, 2021
PixSuiteX	August 4, 2021
PlayFlux	September 24, 2020
Plexxy	April 28, 2020
Pocket Tube	June 26, 2020
Postory Maker	July 26, 2021
Pro Evolution Football 2022	September 8, 2021
Pro Games Collection	April 28, 2021
Pro Head Ball 22	October 21, 2021
Pro Sniper 3D	October 22, 2021
Progame22	October 22, 2021
Progames21	September 8, 2021
Project X	September 10, 2020
Provideo Hub Pro	September 7, 2020
Provideo Lab	November 10, 2020
PS Simulator	April 20, 2021
PubFun Games	June 2, 2020
Puuzzle	December 8, 2020
Puzzlely Pro	October 28, 2020
Quick Saver	July 22, 2021
Race Masters	October 6, 2021
Racing City	April 27, 2021
Racing City Pro	September 24, 2021
Racing Hero 3	July 29, 2021
Racing Streets Pro	September 15, 2021
Real Track Driver 2.0	July 2, 2021
Recovery Plus	October 21, 2021
Reface Pro	July 29, 2021
Restore : All deleted Photos & videos	July 29, 2021
Scanner Ai Plus	October 14, 2021
Scannify Pro	July 30, 2021
Scannify+	August 16, 2021
Scanzy Ai Pro	August 7, 2020
Shoof VIP شوف	April 30, 2020
Shooter League Plus	November 1, 2021
Smart Detector	July 9, 2021
Smart Display	November 9, 2020
Smart Locker	June 16, 2021
Smart Measure	October 21, 2021
Smart Messenger – Text Messages	September 29, 2021
Smart Remote	June 10, 2021
SmartVid	September 2, 2020
Smash Games X	May 19, 2020
Smashex	September 11, 2020
Smashex Pro	November 27, 2020
Social Videogram Pro	May 13, 2020
Song TV	October 27, 2021
Soundio	August 24, 2021
Space Invaders 3D	October 1, 2021
Space Saver	March 18, 2021
Spartan: The last war	June 28, 2021
Speedy Cars – Final Lap	July 23, 2021
Speedy Cars : Final Lap 2	September 16, 2021
Sports TV	July 13, 2021
Spot Videos	May 6, 2020
SpyMash	September 10, 2020
Star Soccer Pro	November 8, 2021
Storage Booster	July 6, 2021
Story Maker: Insta, Whatsapp Art Maker	July 30, 2021
Story Saver – WA	August 19, 2021
Storylux	July 13, 2020
Stream Button Club	November 26, 2020
Stream Button Live	November 4, 2020
Stream Dream	June 2, 2020
Stream HD	September 7, 2020
Stream Hub	October 19, 2021
Stream Live	July 22, 2020
Stream Now	August 26, 2021
StreamCast Pro	July 30, 2020
Streameo Pro	August 4, 2021
StreamHub	April 1, 2021
Streamify Plus	October 8, 2020
StreamNow Pro	October 8, 2020
Streamric	September 7, 2020
Streamzia	June 2, 2020
Streamzio	August 21, 2020
Super Car 2	August 16, 2021
Super M-Play	January 11, 2021
Super Speedy Cars Plus	September 15, 2021
Super Studio	September 2, 2020
Tanks War 3D	October 12, 2021
Taxi City 2	August 10, 2021
Top Jeep Simulator	May 25, 2021
Top Mobile Games	July 12, 2021
Touch-RetouchApp Pro	January 7, 2021
Tower Switchle	April 1, 2021
TrackMe Live	March 30, 2021
Training Drivers	April 23, 2021
Transformlly+	August 24, 2021
Translate Me	August 2, 2021
Translately Plus	July 12, 2021
TranslateMe Pro	August 26, 2021
Translatley Pro	July 29, 2020
Translatory Pro	August 27, 2021
Trending Tok	September 9, 2021
Truck Driver+	October 21, 2021
Truck Simulator Online	April 23, 2021
Tube Booth	January 6, 2021
Tube Magisto	July 15, 2020
Turbo Bikes	June 15, 2021
Turbo Cleaner Pro	July 28, 2020
Turbo Drive	August 10, 2021
Ultimate Driving Simulator Pro	August 10, 2021
Ultimate Keyboard 3D	February 18, 2021
Ultimate Shot +	July 30, 2021
Ultra Box Pro Plus	September 15, 2021
Ultra Bus Simulator 2021	July 6, 2021
Ultra Hub	April 3, 2020
Ultra League 21	September 1, 2021
Ultra Pro	June 16, 2021
Ultra Stream	September 14, 2020
Unlimited Videos	September 28, 2021
UpBeat Video Station	April 24, 2020
Upgradem	September 22, 2020
Upstart Gaming Pro	July 5, 2021
Urban Simulator 1	October 7, 2021
URVids	September 16, 2020
V Stream	October 28, 2021
Vibe Vue Lab	March 31, 2021
Vibes Hub	June 17, 2020
Vibes Hub Pro	January 6, 2021
Videal	August 14, 2020
Videgou	August 6, 2020
Video App	September 3, 2020
Video Drive Live	January 5, 2021
Video Editory	April 14, 2021
Video Life	September 23, 2020
Video Projector	October 6, 2020
Video Vision	April 12, 2021
VideoBoom Pro	January 15, 2021
VideoDo	August 3, 2020
VideoProj Lab	October 23, 2020
VideoProj Pro	January 15, 2021
Videos	July 6, 2021
Videost Pro	September 8, 2020
Videya	July 9, 2020
Vidly Vibe	August 3, 2020
Vidmaxi Hub	September 9, 2020
Visuari Pro X	August 5, 2020
Vivify	September 9, 2021
Voice Changer Plus	September 16, 2021
Voicify	June 22, 2021
Volumely Plus Pro	October 20, 2021
Voxifi	October 21, 2021
Voxify Ultra	September 14, 2021
VStudio Pro	April 20, 2021
Vube Vue Hub	November 10, 2020
Vube Vue Pro	November 2, 2020
Wall Ultra Pro	September 28, 2021
Wall.ly	August 19, 2020
Wallempire	August 23, 2021
WallpArt Pro	November 24, 2020
Wallpex 4D	May 11, 2020
Wallpex 4D Pro	June 9, 2020
Wallpix studio	July 1, 2021
WarZone	September 8, 2021
Water Puzzle Deluxe 2022	October 11, 2021
WeConnect	August 2, 2021
WeGaming	June 4, 2020
WiFi : Password Unlocker	October 11, 2021
WIFI Booster Pro	August 30, 2021
Wifi Freedom Plus	September 15, 2021
Wifi Hacker	October 11, 2021
Wifi Master Key Pro	October 21, 2021
WiFi Unlocker	June 8, 2021
WiFi Unlocker Pro	June 30, 2021
Wor1d	September 17, 2021
XStream	July 2, 2020
XStream Plus	September 18, 2020
Zanzaro	January 19, 2021
Zombies War 2	September 24, 2021
ألعاب إحترافية	April 9, 2021
برجي اليوم	September 17, 2021