Cybercriminals often use apps or spyware capable of monitoring someone’s online or everyday activities through smartphones. They secretly introduce spyware into users’ phones by enticing them with various services. As a result, users may not realise that their online or offline activities are being tracked. However, there are several signs that can help detect the presence of spyware on a smartphone.
Have you recently been receiving regular emails or messages on social media from someone or an organisation that mentions your name or profession? Or perhaps offers to participate in events, services, or promotions? If you’ve noticed such emails or messages, be cautious—it’s possible that you’ve become a target of cybercriminals.
If you find that your browser settings are being changed without your knowledge while browsing websites, or if you are repeatedly receiving pop-up messages, it’s a sign that spyware may have already infiltrated your phone. While this type of spyware may not be particularly harmful, it is often used to collect data about users’ online activities to target them with advertisements. However, even basic spyware can sometimes gather names and passwords from virtual currency or digital transaction accounts, leading to financial theft by cybercriminals.
If your phone repeatedly turns on by itself, certain functions activate or deactivate without your input, the device overheats, the battery drains rapidly, or files start downloading automatically from the internet, it’s likely that your phone has been infected with spyware from the stalkerware category. Stalkerware is a powerful type of spyware that allows cybercriminals to monitor specific individuals’ emails, messages, and online activities remotely. In some cases, it can even track the user’s location, activate the smartphone’s camera or microphone, and record conversations or capture images without their knowledge.
