DANGEROUS apps that allow someone to remotely read your texts and track your location may be lurking on your smartphone.
The apps, also known as stalkerware or spy software, have become increasingly popular in recent years. They are frequently used by criminals to track their partners.
What is stalkerware?
Snoopers can remotely monitor your calls and texts with the help of stalkerware apps. These open-source apps are available online. They can help you track your location, access your internet history, and monitor your movements through your camera.
Known as stalkerware, or “spousewear”, the powerful surveillance tools are available on the Google Play and Apple App stores.
Stalkers can access everything on the phone’s screen, often without the consent of the victim. They can access the phone’s camera and track its GPS, as well as record the screen.
While stalkerware apps are commonly used by jealous creeps to track their partner, they can also be used for parents to watch their children.
SpyPhone Android Rec Pro and FlexiSpy are some examples.
They are difficult to find once they have been installed on your phone. However, there are some ways to track them down.
How to remove stalkerware on iPhone
Fortunately for iPhone users, Apple’s approach to app safety and security means it’s almost impossible to install stalkerware on your mobile.
Apple doesn’t allow apps to access enough of your iPhones device to make it an adequate snooper device.
That could change, however, if your iPhone is jailbroken – a complicated process that removes the limitations on your mobile set by Apple.
Your iPhone will no longer be protected by Apple’s restrictions, which theoretically allows someone to install stalkerware.
It’s unlikely that this has happened. The jailbreaker would have to be tech-savvy, and your iPhone must have been with them for some time.
If you see apps called Cydia or SBSettings on the home screen, it could be a sign that your iPhone has been jailbroken.
However, if you do fear your iPhone has been jailbroken, you can simply perform a factory reset of the device.
You’ll lose all your photos, messages, and other data. Back up your mobile-first.
How to spot stalkerware on Android
It’s a lot easier for snoopers to download stalkerware on an Adroid device than an iPhone. You may notice a spike in data usage and sudden pop-ups as well as battery drain.
An anti-virus program is probably the best way of determining if you are infected. Kaspersky Lab’s tool scans your phone for stalkerware and other viruses.
“We believe users have a right to know if such a program is installed on their device,” Alexey Firsh, a Kaspersky Lab researcher, said that the tool was last year.
“Our alert will help them to do that and assess the risk properly.” New Google Chrome feature could stop you being hacked in SECONDS.