LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
MITRE ATT&CK® Malware

S1079: BOULDSPY

BOULDSPY is an Android malware, detected in early 2023, with surveillance and remote-control capabilities. Analysis of exfiltrated C2 data suggests that BOULDSPY primarily targeted minority groups in Iran.[1]

MobileS1079MalwareObject v1.0Modified
Discuss defensive coverageBack to ATT&CK
Glexia's Take · Automated analysis

Security context for executives and security teams

Automation confidenceMedium

S1079: BOULDSPY describes [BOULDSPY](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1079) is an Android malware, detected in early 2023, with surveillance and remote-control capabilities. Analysis of exfiltrated C2 data suggests that [BOULDSPY](https://attack.mitre.org/software/S1079) primarily targeted minority groups in Iran.(Citation: lookout_bouldspy_0423)

Executive priority

S1079: BOULDSPY is an official MITRE ATT&CK software. Glexia treats it as defensive behavior context for prioritizing monitoring, control validation, and response planning without using the object by itself as an attribution claim.

Technical view

Security teams should validate S1079: BOULDSPY by reviewing the official ATT&CK relationships, mapped tactics (the mapped ATT&CK tactic context), supported platforms (Android), and available local telemetry before making detection or mitigation decisions.

Likely telemetry

  • Official ATT&CK relationships and object metadata

Detection direction

  • Validate whether S1079: BOULDSPY appears in your detection coverage and tabletop scenarios.
  • Use the object to align executive risk language with SOC, incident response, and detection engineering work.
  • Do not treat ATT&CK relationship context as attribution without corroborating evidence.

Mitigation priorities

  • Map the object to existing controls and identify missing telemetry or response ownership.
  • Prioritize mitigations that reduce exposure on the listed platforms and tactics.
  • Review adjacent ATT&CK relationships before changing policy, detections, or reporting language.
Additional notes and limits

Baseline Glexia take generated from the official MITRE ATT&CK STIX object, source hash, tactics, platforms, and detection fields. It is safe to replace with a richer model-generated take for the same source hash later.

This baseline take is source-grounded and schema-validated, but it does not include environment-specific telemetry, incident evidence, or threat-intelligence corroboration.

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Official MITRE ATT&CK definition

BOULDSPY

BOULDSPY is an Android malware, detected in early 2023, with surveillance and remote-control capabilities. Analysis of exfiltrated C2 data suggests that BOULDSPY primarily targeted minority groups in Iran.[1]

View the same entry on attack.mitre.org (MITRE-hosted reference; in-page links above use the Glexia ATT&CK library.)

Glexia analysis

How security teams should use this page

Treat this object as behavior context, not an attribution claim. Validate the related groups, software, data sources, and mitigations against official ATT&CK relationships and your own telemetry before making control-coverage decisions.

ATT&CK relationship table

Techniques used

This mirrors the MITRE pattern of making group, software, campaign, and technique relationships scannable. Relationship notes come from mirrored ATT&CK relationship text when available.

25 rows
DomainIDNameRelationship / procedure
MobileT1409Stored Application Data

BOULDSPY can retrieve account information for third party services, such as Google, Telegram, WeChat, or WhatsApp.[1]

MobileT1532Archive Collected Data

BOULDSPY can encrypt its data before exfiltration.[1]

MobileT1407Download New Code at Runtime

BOULDSPY can download and run code obtained from the C2.[1]

MobileT1429Audio Capture

BOULDSPY can access a device’s microphone to record audio, as well as cell and VoIP application calls.[1]

MobileT1636.003Contact ListSub-technique

BOULDSPY can exfiltrate a device’s contacts.[1]

MobileT1422.002Wi-Fi DiscoverySub-technique

BOULDSPY can collect network information, such as IP address, SIM card information, and Wi-Fi information.[1]

MobileT1414Clipboard Data

BOULDSPY can collect clipboard data.[1]

MobileT1422System Network Configuration Discovery

BOULDSPY can collect network information, such as IP address, SIM card information, and Wi-Fi information.[1]

MobileT1646Exfiltration Over C2 Channel

BOULDSPY has exfiltrated cached data from infected devices.[1]

MobileT1513Screen Capture

BOULDSPY can take and exfiltrate screenshots.[1]

MobileT1437.001Web ProtocolsSub-technique

BOULDSPY uses unencrypted HTTP traffic between the victim and C2 infrastructure.[1]

MobileT1533Data from Local System

BOULDSPY can access browser history and bookmarks, and can list all files and folders on the device.[1]

MobileT1426System Information Discovery

BOULDSPY can collect system information, such as Android version and device identifiers.[1]

MobileT1655.001Match Legitimate Name or LocationSub-technique

BOULDSPY has been installed using the package name `com.android.callservice`, pretending to be an Android system service.[1]

MobileT1644Out of Band Data

BOULDSPY can use SMS to send C2 commands.[1]

MobileT1636.002Call LogSub-technique

BOULDSPY can access device call logs.[1]

MobileT1512Video Capture

BOULDSPY can take photos using the device cameras.[1]

MobileT1417.001KeyloggingSub-technique

BOULDSPY can capture keystrokes.[1]

MobileT1577Compromise Application Executable

BOULDSPY can inject malicious packages into applications already existing on an infected device.[1]

MobileT1636.004SMS MessagesSub-technique

BOULDSPY can exfiltrate SMS logs.[1]

MobileT1418Software Discovery

BOULDSPY can retrieve the list of installed applications.[1]

MobileT1422.001Internet Connection DiscoverySub-technique

BOULDSPY can collect network information, such as IP address, SIM card information, and Wi-Fi information.[1]

MobileT1398Boot or Logon Initialization Scripts

BOULDSPY can exfiltrate data when the user boots the app, or on device boot.[1]

MobileT1624Event Triggered Execution

BOULDSPY uses a background service that can restart itself when the parent activity is stopped.[1]

MobileT1430Location Tracking

BOULDSPY can get a device’s location using GPS or network.[1]

Relationship explorer

All related ATT&CK context

uses · TechniqueT1409: Stored Application DataMobileuses · TechniqueT1532: Archive Collected DataMobileuses · TechniqueT1407: Download New Code at RuntimeMobileuses · TechniqueT1429: Audio CaptureMobileuses · TechniqueT1636.003: Contact ListMobileuses · TechniqueT1422.002: Wi-Fi DiscoveryMobileuses · TechniqueT1414: Clipboard DataMobileuses · TechniqueT1422: System Network Configuration DiscoveryMobileuses · TechniqueT1646: Exfiltration Over C2 ChannelMobileuses · TechniqueT1513: Screen CaptureMobileuses · TechniqueT1437.001: Web ProtocolsMobileuses · TechniqueT1533: Data from Local SystemMobileuses · TechniqueT1426: System Information DiscoveryMobileuses · TechniqueT1655.001: Match Legitimate Name or LocationMobileuses · TechniqueT1644: Out of Band DataMobileuses · TechniqueT1636.002: Call LogMobileuses · TechniqueT1512: Video CaptureMobileuses · TechniqueT1417.001: KeyloggingMobileuses · TechniqueT1577: Compromise Application ExecutableMobileuses · TechniqueT1636.004: SMS MessagesMobileuses · TechniqueT1418: Software DiscoveryMobileuses · TechniqueT1422.001: Internet Connection DiscoveryMobileuses · TechniqueT1398: Boot or Logon Initialization ScriptsMobileuses · TechniqueT1624: Event Triggered ExecutionMobile
Change history

Object version and sync metadata

The fields below describe the current mirrored snapshot. When Glexia retains multiple ATT&CK source imports, you can open the table to compare the same object across releases (hashes and MITRE timestamps). For MITRE’s own release notes and roadmap, see ATT&CK resources — Updates.

ATT&CK release
20.0
Object version
1.0
Created
Modified
Raw hash
eadac39a124f4067...
Imported snapshots across ATT&CK releases(3)
ReleaseBundle importedObject versionModifiedStatusRaw hash
20.01.0Current bundleeadac39a124f…
19.21.0Older bundleeadac39a124f…
19.11.0Older bundleeadac39a124f…
Raw source

Mirrored ATT&CK source object

The raw object is retained through the mirrored ATT&CK source bundle and object hash. The raw endpoint returns the exact object from the mirrored bundle when available.

Open mirrored raw JSONOpen MITRE-hosted copy
Source references

External references and citations

MITRE external references are preserved separately from Glexia analysis so citations remain traceable to their original source records.

  1. [1]
    lookout_bouldspy_0423

    Kyle Schmittle, Alemdar Islamoglu, Paul Shunk, Justin Albrecht. (2023, April 27). Lookout Discovers Android Spyware Tied to Iranian Police Targeting Minorities: BouldSpy. Retrieved July 21, 2023.

    Open source URL
  2. [2]
    mitre-attackS1079
    Open source URL
Source and licensing

Source: MITRE ATT&CK®. © 2026 The MITRE Corporation. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of The MITRE Corporation. MITRE ATT&CK and ATT&CK are registered trademarks of The MITRE Corporation. Glexia is not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE.

Official MITRE ATT&CK siteOfficial STIX data repositoryMITRE ATT&CK terms of use