Uncovering the Threat: Exploring Covert Channel Attacks Via Audio Files in Android Applications

The growing advancements in technology have caused a significant transformation in the Information Technology domain, resulting in both positive and negative impacts on society. Many businesses have started automating their operations through technologies such as Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, and Cyber Security, improving efficiency and security. However, these technologies have also been misused, causing data breaches and considerable losses for various organizations. Recent reports suggest that data breaches are on the rise, with around 83% of businesses experiencing at least one breach in 2022, which is 38% more than in 2021. These breaches often occur due to human error and phishing attacks. Covert channels have also been used for attacks, causing significant losses to organizations and individuals. In this paper, the author proposes an approach through which covert channels can be created, and sensitive information can be passed between users using an audio file. The approach is designed so that it cannot be detected by existing security tools, primarily due to the deep level of code analysis required for detection. The author concludes that this approach could pass sensitive information securely but also highlights the need for improved security tools capable of detecting such covert channels.