An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Several companies offering phone-spying apps — known as “stalkerware” — are still advertising in Google search results, despite the search giant’s ban that took effect today, TechCrunch has found. These controversial apps are often pitched to help parents snoop on their child’s calls, messages, apps and other private data under the guise of…
Tag: Stalkerware
Google Bans Stalkerware Ads
Google announced plans this week to ban ads that promote stalkerware, spyware, and other forms of surveillance technology that can be used to track other persons without their specific consent. From a report: The change was announced this week as part of an upcoming update to Google Ads policies, set to enter into effect next month, on August 11, 2020. Examples…
Stalkerware Detection Rates Are Improving Across Antivirus Products
Detections rates for stalkerware applications on Android and Windows devices are slowly improving, according to the findings of a seven-month research project carried out by independent antivirus testing lab AV-Comparatives and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. From a report: The study, published earlier this week, took place in two phases, with the first in November 2019, and the second in May 2020….
Google Purged Almost 1,000 Abusive ‘Creeperware’ Apps. Now Some Are Coming Back.
In June 2019, a group of cybersecurity researchers notified Google of more than 1,000 potentially malicious apps on the company’s Play Store that can be used to surveil, monitor, and harass users. Their findings, which have not previously been reported, eventually led to one of the largest ever mass removals of Android apps. Less than a year later, there are signs…
Antivirus Vendors and Non-Profits Join To Form ‘Coalition Against Stalkerware’
Ten organizations today announced the creation of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, the first global initiative of its kind, with the sole purpose of fighting against stalkerware. From a report: Also known as spouseware, stalkerware is a smaller category of the spyware class. Stalkerware refers to apps that abusive partners install on the devices of their loved ones without their knowledge or…
Stalkerware: The secret apps people use to spy on their partners
Apps that secretly give people access to their partners’ smartphones are growing in prominence, but is the threat being taken seriously? Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24432572-600-stalkerware-the-secret-apps-people-use-to-spy-on-their-partners/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Kaspersky Lab Will Now Alert Users to ‘Stalkerware’ Used In Domestic Abuse
Tens of thousands of people all over the world have been spied on with malware sold to consumers for less than $100, as Motherboard has shown over the years. In some of these cases, the hackers are the victim’s spouses or intimate partners, making this one of the most dangerous forms of hacking as it… Continue reading Kaspersky Lab Will Now Alert Users to ‘Stalkerware’ Used In Domestic Abuse