The Android remote access trojan known as BTMOB most likely began as a centralized malware-as-a-service operation but transformed into a wider ecosystem, with resellers, source code buyers, rogue operators, and possibly even impersonators, according to the Flare researchers.
BTMOB is a remote access trojan for Android devices that takes the form of malware-as-a-service.
It offers an “exploit chain,” that is, a malicious application, droppers, a payload builder, a Windows operator panel, servers, and phishing and credential-stealing tools. All of the components may be purchased in various combinations, depending on the chosen subscription plan. Some of the options include private infrastructure, customized builds, and technical support.
The Flare researchers analyzed thousands of relevant forum and chat threads to document BTMOB’s activity and distribution channels.
They tracked the malware’s progress from its first appearances in mid-2025 to the present day. In their findings, the researchers observed that while an official channel was distributing the service and its components, other purportedly independent channels and forums sold subscriptions, reseller panels, code, and even alternative versions of the malware under the same name.
In particular, the official account announced the V2 of the malware for rent or sale for $700 per month, $3,000 for a lifetime subscription or $5,000 with additional monthly payments for the private infrastructure and support. Less than a month later, the same account announced technical issues and claimed that over 4,000 devices were connected to BTMOB’s servers.
According to the researchers, the account advertised a full source code and setup instructions for BTMOB for $20,000. The package included PHP and Node.js server components, a VB.NET control panel and Java Android code. The advertised source-code price later fell to $10,000 in May 2025. Additionally, they noticed that the Spanish/Portuguese Telegram channel had an issue between two admins, one of whom left the project. The main channel then announced that from now on, all the administrators would function independently.
It also stated that one of them, based in Brazil, had bought the source code and was running his own fork of BTMOB.
After that, the secondary market appeared and started advertising much cheaper alternatives to the official subscription. In particular, one Telegram campaign announced the lifetime access to version 4.1.2 and 4.2 of BTMOB for $500 and purported RAT and server source code for $1,500. Other channels and forums also offered subscriptions, reseller panels, source code, and lifetime accounts for different prices and conditions.
It is unclear whether the accounts offering the alternative versions of BTMOB are legitimate or not, as many of them could have used pirated materials or have been scams. For example, the official account warned all their partners that there is only one official BTMOB channel and that other accounts do not represent the company and are not affiliated with it.
Nevertheless, the official account advertised the V4.1 release in February 2026 and V4.5 in April 2026. According to the announcement, the subscription for the private server hosting of several accounts costs about $1,200 lifetime account, a $3,000, and the source code for the server itself costs $7,000.
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