How To Protect Yourself Against Stalkerware Apps
What is Stalkerware?
Stalkerware or spyware are tools, such as apps, software programmes, and devices that allow another person to secretly monitor and record information about your phone activity. Phone stalkerware is incredibly intrusive as it allows somebody to see photos and videos you take, text message conversations, websites you’ve visited, and your location.
Nearly all Stalkerware requires that person to have physical access to the device to install it. Once installed, it runs without any notifications or identifying activity and is difficult to detect or remove. The other person will then sign into a website or accompanying app on a separate device.
How To Protect Yourself From Stalkerware
The Coalition Against Stalkerware, which was founded by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and other groups, and many security firms offered these tips to help protect yourself and your device:
- Look for unusual behavior on your device, like a rapidly draining battery. That could be a giveaway that a stalker app has been constantly running in the background.
- Scan your device. Some apps like Malwarebytes, Certo, NortonLifeLock and Lookout can detect stalkerware. But to be thorough, take a close look at your apps to see if anything is unfamiliar or suspicious. If you find a piece of stalkerware, pause before you delete it: It may be useful evidence if you decide to report the abuse to law enforcement.
- Audit your online accounts to see which apps and devices are hooked into them. On Twitter, for example, you can click on the “security and account access” button inside the settings menu to see which devices and apps have access to your account. Log out of anything that looks suspicious.
- Change your passwords and passcode. It’s always safer to change passwords for important online accounts and avoid reusing passwords across sites. Try creating long, complex passwords for each account. Similarly, make sure your passcode is difficult for someone to guess.
- Use MFA – using Multi-Factor Authentication will also help protect your accounts as t makes it more difficult for people too get in as even if they know your password they will need something that only you will have, such as your fingerprint.