How does cell phone spyware work

Surveillance software is becoming more sophisticated and can be difficult to detect. However, not all forms of spyware and stalkerware are invisible and it is possible to find out if you are being monitored. Android: A giveaway on an Android device is a setting that allows apps to be downloaded and installed outside of the official Google Play Store. If enabled, this may indicate tampering and jailbreaking without consent. Not every form of spyware and stalkerware requires a jailbroken device, however.

There is an app available in the Play Store called Root Checker that can check for jailbreaking on your behalf. This varies depending on device and vendor. Some forms of spyware will also use generic names to avoid detection. If a process or app comes up on the list you are not familiar with, a quick search online may help you ascertain whether it is legitimate. However, the presence of an app called Cydia, which is a package manager that enables users to install software packages on a jailbroken device, may indicate tampering unless you knowingly downloaded the software yourself.

Windows: On Windows machines, double-checking installed program lists -- possible through the start bar -- and running processes under "Task Manager" may help you identify suspicious programs. Mac: On Apple Mac machines, you can do the same by clicking "Launchpad," "Other," and "Activity Monitor" to check the status of running programs.

You can also reach Activity Monitor quickly through Spotlight. In the cases of Android, iOS devices, and PCs, you may experience unexpected battery drain and overheating, as well as unexpected or strange behavior from the device operating system or apps -- but in the latter case, many users of stalkerware will try not to play their hand and the software is developed to be as silent as possible.

As with most things in life, trust your instincts. If you think something is wrong, it probably is -- and you should take steps to seize control of the situation. This is where things get difficult. By design, spyware and stalkerware are hard to detect and can be just as hard to remove.

It is not impossible in most cases but may take some drastic steps on your part. When removed, especially in the case of stalkerware, some operators will receive an alert warning them that the victim's device has been cleaned up.

In addition, should the flow of information suddenly cease, this is a clear indicator that the malicious software has been eradicated. Unfortunately, some stalkerware services may survive factory resets.

So, failing all of that, consider restoring to factory levels and then throwing your device away. However, it may also appear under another generic name, and so before deleting any apps, perform a search on the app name first.

Cybersecurity vendors including Malwarebytes , Avast , and Kaspersky all offer spyware-scanning tools. You can try downloading them and performing a scan to wipe out infections.

Both Google and Apple are generally quick off the mark if spyware or other forms of malicious apps manage to circumvent the privacy and security barriers imposed for applications hosted in their respective official app stores.

While marketed as employee and child trackers, the tech giant took a dim view of their overreaching functions -- including GPS device tracking, access to SMS messages, the theft of contact lists, and potentially the exposure of communication taking place in messaging applications.

When it comes to Apple, the iPad and iPhone maker began a crackdown on parental control apps in April , citing privacy-invading functions as the reason for some iOS apps to be removed from the App Store. In some cases, Apple requested developers to remove functions, whereas, in others, the apps were simply removed. The company offers its own parental device control service called Screen Time for parents that want to limit their children's device usage.

Microsoft includes Microsoft Defender with modern versions of the Windows operating system to stop, isolate, and remove malware. Cydia is the app used to install software onto jailbroken phones. Find out how to do this here: Android or iPhone. If spyware is working continuously, it can drain your battery faster than usual. All batteries degrade over time though, so look for a significant and sudden change , rather than a gradual deterioration.

If you do notice a sudden change, check if any recently installed or updated apps are responsible, before concluding you have a problem. If your device is running hot, it may be a sign that someone is spying on you by running spyware in the background. As more of its resources are directed toward the spyware app, your phone may start to run noticeably slower. An unusual surge in the amount of data your phone is consuming can sometimes be a sign spyware is running in the background.

The spy app needs to use data to send information back to the perpetrator, so a spike in data usage may indicate foul play. To check your mobile data on iPhone, go to Settings then Mobile Data. You can see your overall data use, or scroll down to see how much mobile data individual apps are consuming. Tap Mobile Data Usage to see how your data use has changed over time. From here, you can identify any recent spikes.

NOTE : These measures only track the use of cellular data i. Use this to monitor how much data your phone is using while connected to WiFi.

Again, high data usage is not always the result of spyware. For example, we were alarmed to see our data use spiking, until we discovered our new podcast app was downloading lots of previous episodes.

If it is, then it may be a symptom of spyware. In , Edward Snowden revealed NSA technology that prevents phones from switching off fully, to then use them for eavesdropping purposes. This is the result of a very sophisticated and highly-targeted attack, but it demonstrates that this form of spying is possible.

NOTE : Frequent and seemingly random reboots can also be an indicator that there is spyware on your phone. Text messages can be used by spyware and malware to send and receive data. Look out for unusual incoming messages, too. Primitive spyware apps will sometimes use SMS messaging to communicate with their base.

The message will typically be coded in some way if it is associated with a spyware app. Keyloggers are a form of spyware that keep a record of all your keypresses. Someone spying on your phone could use a keylogger to capture your messages and login details. One possible sign that someone may be using a keylogger to spy on your phone is a misbehaving autocorrect system. The keylogger interferes with how the autocorrect function works, so if you notice it acting strangely or working significantly slower than usual, it may indicate that someone is spying on your phone.

If you notice the quality of screenshots is worse than expected, that could be the result of spyware, according to Malwarebytes. They can also be caused by other forms of malware. Adware, for example, can slow down your phone and use up data.

Only try this if it is safe to do so. If there is any risk to your physical safety whatsoever, seek help from the authorities or a charitable organisation, such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline. There are a number of different ways to remove spyware from Android and iOS phones. These include using security software , removing the problem app manually , and updating the operating system.

For tips on creating a strong password, visit my blog post. Bye-bye spy app. Admittedly, there have been reports of security and privacy vulnerabilities that were discovered in iOS in the past, allowing access by certain strains of spyware and malware.

Although these vulnerabilities have been fixed by now, there are always new threats popping up from time to time. Luckily, Apple does a decent job of keeping these bugs squashed with iOS updates, so be sure to keep your iPhone or iPad updated. If your iPhone or iPad has been out of your sight for an extended period of time, you can simply update your device by following the steps in the previous paragraph.

This should remove any jailbreak while disabling any spy app requiring a jailbroken device. At least not that I could find. If you do know of any spyware on this platform, please let me know in the comments below. A factory reset is a last-resort option for both Android and iOS cell phones. Resetting your cell phone to its factory settings will delete all third-party apps — which means any spy software will be removed as well. Again, this process may vary on your Android device.

After resetting your cell phone to its factory settings, I suggest that you download and install an app called AppNotifier that will notify you whenever a new application is installed on your mobile phone. Once the app is installed, whenever someone installs something on your phone on the sly, you should receive a heads-up about it. Another way to reset your iPhone back to the factory settings is via iTunes. Once you discover that someone has been spying on you, your first reaction may be disbelief likely followed by anger.

Whether it was with personal or business intent, the impact can be hard to cope with upon discovery. If your cell phone is showing any of the signs listed above that suggest that someone might be spying or using a stalking app against you, I strongly recommend that you follow the above solutions for your Android or iOS device. If you are actually being stalked, in the U.

If you are based in the U. Sadly, yes. If you think this is happening, search for and uninstall the apps by following the instructions I discussed earlier in this article. As a rule, it is extremely difficult for someone to remotely install phone surveillance software on an iPhone or Android smartphone without having physical access to the device.

There are no reliable apps that I am aware of that can detect if your phone is being tapped. However, there are apps for the Android platform that do have the capabilities of recording your calls and sending them back to the bad actors that created the app.

To check for these apps, check the permissions for all of the installed apps on your device, following the steps I laid out above. As for iPhone users, keep an eye on the indicator at the top of the screen to see if any app is using your microphone surreptitiously. As you might be aware, doing any of the above will severely limit the use of your device. Um, especially the part about turning it off. Whistleblower Edward Snowden said in a interview that the NSA can listen in on your conversations using the microphone on your smartphone, even if the device is turned off.

It does this by using spyware that prevents your smartphone from actually turning off. The app makes it appear that your device is off, turning off the screen, ignoring incoming calls or button presses, but it is actually still on.

Removing the battery from your device is the only way to be sure your device is actually powered down. Spyware comes in various forms. Apple devices are frequently updated to the latest iOS version via automatic patch installation. This helps improve security and also increases the value of finding a workable compromise to the latest iOS version, as the new one will be used on a large proportion of devices globally.

On the other hand, Android devices are based on open-source concepts, so hardware manufacturers can adapt the operating system to add additional features or optimise performance. We typically see a large number of Android devices running a variety of versions — inevitably resulting in some unpatched and insecure devices which is advantageous for cybercriminals. Ultimately, both platforms are vulnerable to compromise.

The key factors are convenience and motivation. While developing an iOS malware tool requires greater investment in time, effort and money, having many devices running an identical environment means there is a greater chance of success at a significant scale.

While many Android devices will likely be vulnerable to compromise, the diversity of hardware and software makes it more difficult to deploy a single malicious tool to a wide user base.

It is in the very nature of spyware to remain covert and undetected on a device. That said, there are mechanisms in place to show whether your device has been compromised.