Spyware is a form of malware that infiltrates your device to record information secretly while tracking your online activity. Spy software poses a major threat to privacy, explaining why millions of internet users are always looking for ways to stay safe from spying.
Spyware is created to be invisible. The longer it remains on your device, the more damage it will cause. Spyware is like a virtual stalker. It follows all your digital footprints without your knowledge while compromising your privacy using stealth tactics.
The growing threat of spyware has seen 91% of internet users make at least one change to their online behavior to stay safe from spying according to one research report.
Besides compromising your privacy, spyware also affects network connectivity and the performance of your device. Having it on your device can cause slow performance and affect daily activities.
By learning more about spyware and how it works, you can avoid many issues that are posed by this threat on your work and personal life.
In this article, we will you a detailed overview of how to stay safe from spying software. We will look into how spyware works, the dangers it poses, prevention tactics, and how to remove it in case your device is infected.
What Is Spyware?
Spyware can range from spying apps used to monitor your kids and loved ones to more complicated software used for clandestine surveillance operations.
Spyware can include stealth tools such as Pegasus. The Pegasus software has been causing havoc over the years. It is used to spy on government agents, human rights activists, researchers, journalists, etc.
Conversely, spyware does not need to involve a complex tool like Pegasus. Even in your home or workplace, you are at risk of falling victim to spyware when someone installs spying apps on your phone.
Spyware will collect information from your phone and send out this information to an external server. The information can then be used to access your online accounts. Other spyware can also track your location in real time if you are carrying your phone or computer.
Spying on an adult without their consent is illegal. However, despite the potential legal repercussions, the use of spying apps is on the rise. A 2020 survey showed that one in ten Americans use tracking apps to spy on their spouses or former partners. Given this statistic, it is crucial that every internet user learns ways to stay safe from spying.
History of Spyware
The exact origin of the term spyware or the concept can be challenging to point out. Public utterances of the word “spyware” started in the mid-90s. At the time, Usenet discussions saw people start talking about spyware.
Cybersecurity companies picked up the name in the early 2000s. They used the term to describe an unwanted software program used by malicious actors to spy on the activity happening on your phone or computer.
The first anti-spyware program launched in October 2004. At the time, the America Online and the National Cybersecurity Alliance conducted a survey that showed around 80% of all internet users have spyware compromising their computers. 95% of the affected persons also acknowledged that they did not authorize the installation of the software on their devices.
Over the years, threat actors behind spyware have evolved and launched different attack tactics. The Windows operating system is a main target for spyware, explaining why the developer is constantly issued updates to patch security flaws.
Spyware is also becoming a nuisance on Android devices. Spying apps can be installed on both Android and iOS devices.
Last year, ESET researchers detected spyware on the Google Play Store disguising itself as a screen recording app. The app amassed tens of thousands of downloads on the Android app marketplace. By the time the app was taken down, it had 50,000 downloads.
What Does Spyware Do?
Spyware accesses your device without authorization. In some cases, you can accidentally install spyware as a malicious file. Such files are sent to you through email using a phishing campaign.
Once spyware is installed on your computer or mobile device, it starts to record your activity secretly. However, the behavior of spyware depends on the type. Cyberthieves have been changing their techniques to collect data and personal information using spyware.
The collected data and personal information might be sold by hackers on the dark web, which is among the main reasons you should lean the best ways to stay safe from spying. Once spyware is installed on your mobile device or computer, it can conduct the following activities:
- Keylogging – A keylogger is a feature that records everything that you type on your phone or computer. This tool is dangerous as it can capture usernames, passwords, and banking information. Read more on keyloggers and how they work.
- Recording – Spyware can also record conversations and activities happening on your phone or computer. It can record audio, capture video recordings, and even perform screen recording.
- Accessing information – Spyware can also access your phone remotely. By doing this, it can access the activities happening on that phone including accessing emails, messages, and social media applications. It can also collect your browser history data.
- Location – One of the main dangers of spyware is that it can even access your real-time location. It can see wherever you go as long as you are carrying your phone or computer. Some spyware also comes with a geo-fencing alert feature that alerts the person spying on you when you go beyond a certain location.
Given these capabilities of spyware, you can see why they are being used by stalkers and jealous partners. In some cases, spyware is also used as a tool for domestic violence where a partner invades the other’s privacy using spy apps.
However, not all spy apps are harmful. Some tools in the market allow parents to monitor the activities of their kids. Others are also used by employers to monitor employee productivity.
Nevertheless, these spying apps can also be exploited and used to spy on people without authorization. Besides spying apps, hackers can also deploy other forms of spying software using malicious links.
The Menace of Spyware in the Real World
The most documented case of spyware being used in the world is that of the Pegasus software. This spyware made headlines in 2021 after a leak showed that it had around 50,000 potential victims globally, with the majority being activists and journalists.
The spyware continues to cause privacy concerns. A recent report established that in Jordan, over 30 people were infected with this spyware over several years. The breach happened between 2020 and late 2022.
In December 2023, Amnesty International published a report detailing another case of the Pegasus spyware in use. The findings at the time pointed towards journalists in India being victims of an attack by spyware. The latest case of spyware being used to target these journalists was in October 2023.
In September last year, the opposition presidential candidate in Egypt was reportedly a victim of spyware. Researchers at Citizen Lab and Google’s Threat Analysis Group detected the spyware, which also led to Apple issuing a patch to fix the flaw.
Looking at these cases, spyware continues to be prevalent in 2024 despite people being more aware of how to safeguard their online habits. Therefore, it is paramount that every internet user learns how to stay safe from spying.
Signs of Spyware on a Device
Spyware is meant to operate stealthily. Developers behind such software are constantly issuing modifications and updates to prevent detection by security systems, making it challenging to stay safe from spying. While spyware is usually not visible as an app on your phone or computer, some telltale signs could point towards this malware on your phone.
Below are the signs of spyware on a device:
- Your phone or device suddenly becomes slow and sluggish.
- Annoying pop-up ads. In some cases, spyware might be installed on your device in the form of adware. Adware is a form of spyware that can collect data from a target device.
- Unusual activity. If home pages, toolbars, and search engines that you did not install suddenly appear on your device, it could indicate malware.
- Your phone’s battery is depleted more quickly. Spyware operates in the background and tends to consume a lot of battery power.
- Challenge logging into secure sites. If you make a first attempt logging into a site using the correct login credentials and it fails, but the second attempt succeeds, it could be a sign of malware on your device. It could indicate that during the first attempt, your login details were sent to a spoofed browser, and login credentials were shared with a third party.
- Increase in data and bandwidth usage. A sudden increase in your data and bandwidth usage could show that a hidden app is running in the background searching for information to transmit to a third party.
- Failure of antivirus and anti-malware software – If the safety software installed on your phone suddenly fails, it could indicate that malicious software is on your phone.
If you are using an Android phone, go to the phone settings to search for apps downloaded and installed that are not on the Google Play Store. If you want to stay safe from spying, you should not download apps that are listed on third-party app marketplaces.
If you are using an iOS device, look for any unauthorized sign-ins to your iCloud account. Also, search for an app known as “Cydia” that allows a person to install software on a jailbroken phone. If you detect this app, you should uninstall it.
How to Stay Safe From Spying
Now that we know the real danger of spyware, let us now look into the best way to stay safe from spying and avoid falling victim to this obvious and apparent threat.
Being proactive is the first step towards protecting your phone or computer from spyware. You should know that safe browsing habits are not enough to protect yourself. Avoiding downloads from untrustworthy sources and failing to follow suspicious email attachments might not be enough. Sometimes, spyware can be spread through a trusted website.
Internet security solution
Whether you are using a phone or computer, the first tip to stay safe from spying is having an antivirus program in place that can detect any type of spyware. Ensure that the internet security solution you choose can run a scan on your device and remove any spyware. It should detect spyware beforehand and work towards avoiding it.
The best antivirus solution is the one that can stop spyware beforehand before it causes any damage. There are many free and paid internet security solutions in the market. You should be wary of free tools as they might lack all the features needed to stop spyware.
Some features you should watch out for when choosing spyware are a virtual encrypted keyboard to enter financial information, an anti-spam filter, and a cloud-based detection system that will get rid of any risks.
Safe browsing habits
The other practice that you should adopt to stay safe from spying is safe browsing. You should be cautious before consenting to cookies on any website. Nearly every website will ask for your permission before creating cookies. You should only accept cookies from sites that you trust. It is also advisable to only choose the option for “Necessary Cookies”.
You should also be careful with browser extensions. Malicious browser extensions can be spyware that compromises your online privacy. You can also enable anti-tracking on your browser extension to ensure that your data remains private on the web.
Keep software updated
Hackers are constantly looking for new ways to conduct hacking attacks. One of the ways they do this is by looking for vulnerabilities in phone and computer software that could be exploited to deploy malware.
A few months back, Google issued an alert urging Chrome users to update their Chrome browsers after the CVE-2023-6345 was detected. The high-severity zero-day flaw was exploited in the wild, with users being urged to issue an update as soon as possible.
Users who fail to install such patches often set themselves up for exploitation. You should always install software and operating system patches as soon as they are installed to stay safe from spying. It is also advisable to have an auto-update option enabled.
Beware of free software
You might have come across free software at some point while browsing the internet. Such software entices you with the convenience of not having to make a subscription. However, you should stay away from free apps and software.
Hackers might create free software to entice users who do not want to make a subscription. When you install such software, the embedded malware will launch on your device causing havoc.
You should also know that free apps usually have other ways of raising revenue. Those ways might include selling your data to third parties.
Only download apps from trusted sources
You should only download apps from the official app stores. If you are an Android phone user, only download apps from the Google Play Store, and if you are using an iPhone, download apps from the official App Store.
Third-party app stores are ridden with many malicious spyware apps. To lower the risk of infection with spyware and stay safe from spying, avoid downloading apps from third-party stores. Some spyware comes in the form of fake apps.
You should also be cautious before permitting apps. Some apps do not need permission to access features like the camera and microphone. You should decide whether an app needs specific permissions to improve your user experience.
On your computer, you should also limit the number of running applications and control the permissions they have. Ensure that apps on your computer ask you before running and making system alterations.
Do not follow suspicious links
You should also stay away from suspicious links sent to you via text messages if you want to stay safe from spying. Hackers usually bait victims with malicious links sent to them on messaging platforms. You can remain safe by avoiding such links
You should only follow links sent to you from verified sources. Even then, you should manually enter the URLs into the address bar because trustworthy sources can also send malicious links if their accounts have been hacked.
Two-factor authentication
It is also advisable that you install two-factor authentication on your device. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your account. It ensures that even if a hacker has accessed your login details, they can still not access your account easily without other forms of verification.
You should also enable two-factor authentication on platforms such as Apple ID and Google accounts. These accounts are often a pathway to most of your online accounts. If they are compromised, a hacker can easily collect a lot of information about you.
Strong passwords
Most online sites require that users set up strong passwords that are not easy to guess. To stay safe from spying, you should have a unique password for every account that you use. Doing this increases the security of your accounts.
If you are worried about remembering all the passwords, you should work with a password manager. With a password manager, you can save all your unique passwords, making it easy for you to sign into your accounts. Furthermore, a password manager ensures you do not have to key in the password every time, protecting you from keyloggers.
How to Remove Spyware
Now that you know how to stay safe from spying, the next step is to explore how you can remove spyware from your phone or computer. Sometimes, spyware can evade detection and enter your device despite how careful you are. To remove spyware, follow the below steps:
- Uninstall unfamiliar apps – If you suspect that your phone or computer is invaded with spyware, the first step is to uninstall unfamiliar apps. If you find an app on your phone that you did not install yourself, it is best that you remove it as it could be spyware.
- Run a scan – Anti-malware programs are not only good at preventing spyware but also removing it. You should run a spyware scan on your device using security software to remove any malware. Once removed, the security program will protect you from any possible attacks in the future.
- Factory reset – If you have uninstalled spyware from your phone or computer but it is still acting up, you might have to perform a factory reset to remove all applications that are not system apps.
How to Stay Safe From Spying Cameras
Spying is not just done with spyware. In some cases, people with malicious intent might install spy cameras or hidden audio recorders. Therefore, you need to learn how you can stay safe from spying cameras.
If you suspect spying cameras in your home or office, you can start by looking for any hidden cameras on spots such as light fixtures, smoke detectors, below table tops, clocks, flower pots, shelves, etc. You should also watch out for odd-looking black dots that may indicate a pinhole camera.
Another strategy involves turning off the lights at night and watching out for LED lights. Shining a flashlight against mirrors will also show you the presence of any hidden cameras.
If you are still suspicious of a hidden camera, you can use a radio frequency detector with a hidden camera lens. The detector will alert you in case of any transmissions in an area.
Read further on How to Catch Someone Spying On You in Your Home
Wrapping Up – How to Stay Safe From Spying
Unauthorized surveillance is currently a global concern due to the availability of spying tools such as spyware in the market. Spying is not only a concern for businesses, journalists, activists, or politicians but for everyone using the internet.
The best way to stay safe from spying is by taking proactive measures that will block any spyware looking to enter your device. Such measures include using anti-malware programs, downloading apps from official app stores, and browsing the internet securely.
If you find spyware on your phone, you can remove it using anti-malware programs. You can also hire an expert who will help you remove any stubborn spyware and guarantee your phone is safe from future attacks.
FAQs
How do I keep myself safe from spyware?
The best way to remain safe from spyware is to use an anti-malware program. The program will block spyware before it causes any damage. You should also avoid downloading apps from malicious sources and following suspicious links.
How do you know if someone is spying on you?
There are several telltale signs that someone is spying on you. If they are using spyware, you will notice your device being more sluggish, reduced battery performance, and increased data usage.
What should I do if my device is affected?
If your device is infected with spyware, you must uninstall it as soon as possible. You can remove spyware easily using anti-malware programs.
Should I report someone spying on me to the police?
Spying on someone without their consent is illegal. If you detect someone spying on you and you do not feel safe with the violation of privacy, it is recommended that you report them.
