STALKERWARE: A BIG THREAT
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If you've seen the Netflix show yourself, based on the novel of the same title by Caroline Kepnes, you would know how dangerous a stalker could be. They know your whereabouts and can read your messages when you don't.
One in ten people admit to using stalkerware to track
down a partner or ex.
Cyberbullying
is more common than you think
Hackers use paid software for stalkerware which they
would download and install on their personal computer or phone while they were
still together.
Stalkerware is an application that can intercept calls
and text messages, log into your web browsing activity, access your location,
and more.
According to Business Wire, one in 10 people have
admitted to using stalkware to track exes or partners.
Cyberbullying, or the act of using any form of technology
to track a person's whereabouts and learn about their personal information,
including their address and messages, can take any form, such as the use of
stalkerware.
But if they all have a common denominator, it is that
they are obsessive, unwanted and, at times, could be illegal.
Stalkerware applications for better and for worse
According to CNET, these stalkerware apps are so easy to
use that there are TikTok videos that are only 60 seconds long and show people
how they can install and use these intrusive apps and track their partners' every
move.
However, they seem a bit more difficult to install on
iPhones, as long as the stalker doesn't have the victim's iCloud credentials.
Such was the case of a woman who shared her experience
with the media, saying that her future ex-boyfriend always seemed to know where
she was, even when she was not with him, and that he knew and talked to her
about something that he has read in her computer while at home, where she lived
alone.
However, these apps are often marketed as a way to
monitor your child or an elderly loved one, as well as employees, but are
almost always used with your consent.
How
to know if your device has Stalkerware
The hard part is that you may not know that you have a
stalkerware app installed on your device.
A stalkerware application could disguise itself as an
innocuous icon or not display the icon at all.
Additionally, these intrusive apps often work with other
software that could hide the stalkerware app icon on their device so victims
have no idea that something is installed on their computers or smartphones.
Since most don't have names or names that don't sound
suspicious, just check anything you're unfamiliar with or haven't installed,
and then find another device and look for them online.
You can also use antivirus software on
your computer or smartphone, which will scan the entire device and warn you of any
known stalkerware installed on it.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse or suspect that you
are being harassed, you can also take your device to the police, but there is
no guarantee that an expert will be available and can help you.
However, some departments can help in these cases.
Can
you delete it?
Removing or uninstalling a stalkerware application is an
option, but it is something you should consider carefully, especially since it
could put you in greater danger if the stalker knows that you have removed the
application.
It is said that removing the app could send a message to
the stalker, saying they have no control over the device and you.
However, if you've made up your mind, you can remove a
stalkerware app in a number of ways, including factory resetting or cutting off
the app's access to your camera, contacts, etc. before uninstalling it.
Lastly, you can get rid of the device you think is
tampered with and then get a new phone or computer.
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