The stalkerware It is a form of privacy invasion, an abuse of technology by the stalker, who seeks to follow the step by step of his victim and curtail freedom. Stalkerware involves the installation of spy apps on the victim’s device without the victim’s knowledge. Generally, the stalker needs to have physical access to the mobile to download the program.
These tracking platforms allow you to track the person’s location at all times, view messages, calls, intercept all types of communication. In short: monitor every movement of the person.
Usually, this type of harassment occurs in the intimate circle, whether between partners, supposed friends, ex-partners, or even in the workplace.
How to know if the cell phone is infected with stalkerware
Jaya Baloo, Director of Information Security at Avast, shared, through a statement, some signs that may mean that the computer has been infected with a tracking application:
1. Sudden or unexpected worsening of device performance (slowdowns, crashes or restarts)
2. Change in settings without the person’s consent (new browser home page or default search engine, new icons on your desktop)
3. Flash flood of pop-ups, strange or error messages
4. Unexplained callss on the statement or phone bill
5. The abuser has a lot of information about the activities of the victim.
Another tactic stalkers use to torment their victims is to steal your identity to set up malicious online profiles. In the released statement, Baloo shared the case of a victim who woke up one morning to find her phone full of sexually explicit messages from unknown men. “These men requested to meet her, which caused great anguish in the victim, since she did not understand how they managed to obtain her personal data. Some time later it was discovered that her stalker had created an online profile for an adult dating website with her name and her phone number, ”she details.
If you are a victim of identity theft, it is essential to block incoming messages and report the incident of harassment to the appropriate district attorney’s office.
How to remove spy apps from cell phone
If there is suspicion of a spy app or stalkerware on the cell phone, you need to start your computer in safe mode. When the phone is booted in this mode, third-party applications will not be operational and possible malware can be removed easily.
For that you have to follow these steps:
1. Press the off button until that alternative appears. In some models, when you press the shutdown button, the Shutdown option appears and you have to press there again until the legend Safe Mode appears and then click on that option again.
2. Then you must go to Configuration or Settings and enter Applications there.
3. You will see a list with all the download apps. You have to check if you find any with a strange name or that you don’t remember having downloaded and delete it.
4. Before doing so, it is advisable to do a search to find out what is being removed from the device and avoid uninstalling any useful programs that could affect its proper functioning.
smart device hacking
Attackers can not only take advantage of a user’s carelessness to install mobile spyware, they can also hack other connected devices and even intervene in smart homes, by attacking security cameras or smart speakers.
What precautionary measures to take in these cases?
1. Keep the software on all connected devices up to date to ensure they have the latest security patches.
2. Stay informed about any vulnerability that may affect the equipment and if there is any suspicion, disconnect it from the network until it is resolved.
3. Keep the wifi router updated and with a secure password.
4. Employ two-factor authentication on all devices.
