Worried that a friend, former acquaintance, or family member might be spying on you without your knowledge? This guide will explain how to detect the presence of spyware on your smartphone. You will also find some tips to protect your data and put in place protective measures..
Personal information in smartphones attracts lust
Smartphones have become over the years a real concentrate of technology capable of performing a multitude of tasks. They have such a large storage capacity that they can now contain a very large number of sensitive data. Some users do not hesitate to save everything they do there.
And contrary to what one might think, this personal information is not only of interest to hacking specialists. Smartphones are also a prime target for jealous husbands, overly controlling parents and even colleagues..
Result, we find on the net a whole panoply of applications capable of recording everything you do on your smartphone. These 2.0 cookies are so powerful that they can access your photos, text messages, call lists, emails, social networks, internet browsing history and even track your movements using the GPS chip on your smartphone.
As much to tell you right away, the use of these tools is completely illegal in France and in a large number of other countries. Spying on the communications and travel of a third person without their consent are crimes punishable by law. The penalties incurred in France can reach 1 year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros (article 226-15 of the penal code)..
Detect spyware
First of all, you have to differentiate between spyware that collects personal information for advertising purposes and spyware. Spyware is generally used by hackers to steal your confidential data including your bank details.
They are usually hidden inside applications containing malicious code. Most users do not realize that they have just installed spyware. This is why it is important to give priority to official application stores such as the Play Store.
Spyware uses other methods to infiltrate our phones. The installation of this type of application usually requires access to the unlock codes of the smartphone. The hacker will therefore take advantage of a moment of inattention to steal the device and then proceed to configure his spy software.
To protect yourself, you should therefore not entrust your smartphone to anyone. Also remember to regularly change the lock code on your device. These simple steps will save you a lot of trouble.
It is usually very difficult to know if your phone is being monitored. However, if you want to protect your smartphone, the first step is to monitor your data usage. Spyware is a big data consumer.
Also take a look at the list of apps installed on your smartphone. Spyware generally uses well-known application names. If a process or an application seems strange to you, go on the Internet to seek additional information. You should know that the most sophisticated versions run in stealth mode and are therefore completely undetectable.
Be extremely careful of the messages and notifications you receive. Hackers use this type of tool to communicate with the attacked smartphone. Likewise, random restarts should alert you. These unusual signs may be due to the presence of a malicious application.
