Hidden audio-recording software found on interactive panels in Moscow schools, with data sent to the mayor’s office

A software module found on interactive displays in Moscow schools can activate the microphone in response to a command from a server and record classroom audio. An analysis of the module was posted on GitHub and flagged by the news outlet Mediazona.

The module can be installed through the remote administration system run by Moscow’s Department of Information Technology (DIT).

According to the author of the analysis, the module has two versions: the current one and an earlier one. The earlier version was called “Lesson audio recording agent,” while the current version drops the reference to recording and is called “Agent supports lesson delivery.”

The package installs a background process that runs without user involvement. On its own, it activates the microphone, records audio, and sends the file to DIT’s servers, then deletes the local copy of the recording from the device.

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