Among all the threats that we can find when surfing the web we have to highlight those that aim to steal information. They can arrive in a very diverse way and put our data at risk. Today we echo Stalkerware , a new wave of spyware that directly affects mobile devices. It aims to steal all kinds of data and information from the victim and control all their movements. We will explain what it is and what we can do to protect ourselves.
Stalkerware, the latest threat that controls our movements
A group of security researchers has discovered a new wave of spyware aimed at Android users. It is called Stalkerware and aims to collect all kinds of confidential data and online activity of the victim.
Among the data that is able to collect we can name the call log, text messages, photos, GPS locations and even the history of the browser. We are therefore facing a threat that puts the privacy of users of these devices at risk.
The attackers use different social engineering strategies to install spy applications on the victim’s team. In this way they obtain administrator privileges and can access the content we have mentioned. All this data is subsequently sent to a server controlled by cybercriminals.
It must be taken into account that they use different methods and techniques to avoid being detected. They use names that can pretend to be legitimate. An example is Android Monitors , which is actually a keylogger and collects all kinds of data that we type on the device’s keyboard. You can, among other things, spy on WhatsApp conversations, Facebook Messenger or any other application of this type.
Another application that is part of Stalkerware is Wi-Fi Settings . In the beginning it is a program to manage Wi-Fi networks, but in reality it is able to collect personal data from users and attack their privacy.
They have also found the Auto Forward application as a threat. It is able to collect very varied information from the devices of the victims. Data such as location, WhatsApp messages, call list, installed applications …
How to avoid being a victim of Stalkerware and similar problems
Luckily the most important thing we have in our hand: common sense . Most of these applications arrive from third-party sites. It is very important that we always install programs from official sources and guarantees. Avoid installing applications from third-party sites.
It is also advisable to have security tools . A way to protect our computers and prevent malware from entering. We can also analyze the system for threats and be able to eliminate viruses in case they are inside the devices.
On the other hand, we must keep the systems updated . This also applies to the programs we use. Sometimes vulnerabilities may arise that put at risk the security of our devices. It is the developers themselves who release security patches and updates to correct them.
