Yet another government spyware maker has been caught after its customers used fake Android apps to install its surveillance software on targets, according to a new report.

Osservatorio Nessuno, an Italian digital rights organization that researches spyware, published findings this week on a new malware it calls Morpheus. The spyware masquerades as a phone updating app and is capable of stealing a broad range of data from intended targets' devices.

The report suggests the demand for spyware by law enforcement and intelligence agencies is so high that multiple companies are now providing this technology, some operating outside public scrutiny. In this case, Osservatorio Nessuno concluded that the spyware is linked to IPS, an Italian company with over 30 years of experience in traditional lawful interception technology.

The researchers said the authorities had help from the target's cellphone provider, which began deliberately blocking the target’s mobile data and then sent a text message prompting them to install the app. Once installed, the spyware abused Android’s built-in accessibility features to read screen data and interact with other apps, aiming for full access.

The company has been operating in more than 20 countries, though its spyware product was previously secret. IPS lists several Italian police forces among its customers but did not respond to TechCrunch's request for comment about the report.