It is very difficult to imagine a day without a mobile phone and most of us make sure that we never leave our house without it. The truth is that a mobile phone comes handy in many cases and thanks to all the apps that are available, we can do pretty much anything with our devices. The problem is that they can also be used as a tool to invade our privacy and using spy software allows others to find out a lot about our lives. If someone installs spy software on your mobile phone, it will be very difficult to detect the presence of this application. This software is designed to run in stealth mode so you won’t see any icons or notifications that will let you know that you are being spied on.
Spy software is very advanced these days and it supports a wide range of features that enable access to a great deal of information. Someone could get access to your photos, your emails, your online conversations and all your activities. Since we rely on our mobile phones for so many things, if someone manages to break into our devices, they will get access to every aspect of our lives. Popular apps that many of us use on a daily basis such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Snapchat, can be monitored. Some spy apps can even keep track of every keystroke, record your surroundings and pin point your location.
Although spyware for Android mobiles is generally aimed at concerned parents who want to make sure that their teenagers are not getting in trouble, or employees who want to check that their employees don’t misuse their work devices, the truth is that in many cases, this technology is used by people who want to find out if their partners are being unfaithful or by stalkers who want to keep an eye on everything you do. There are legitimate uses for this type of software, but it is also scary that it can be used for malicious and illegal purposes.
Spy software that focuses on Android devices is not new, but the options available nowadays support features that are particularly invasive. The spyware app can be installed on your device by anyone who has access to it for just a few minutes. Once the app is running on your device, it can monitor and collect data of everything you do. The information can be easily accessed by the person who intends to monitor you, as longs as they set up a subscription with the spy software provider. Those who want to find out if their significant other is cheating on them are likely to consider using these apps, even though such use is not legal.
This hasn’t stop many people from installing a spy app on their partner’s phone to follow their steps. With this technology, they can find out what the person they are monitoring does on the internet, including the websites they visit and their social media interactions. In addition, a spy app allows them to check their SMS messages and see records of their calls. Some apps even support call recording or the option to listen to calls as they take place. Although a spy app can be a useful tool for parents who want to keep an eye on their kids to prevent them from talking to predators, it is worrying that this type of technology offers so many features that can be used for malicious purposes.
How do spy apps work
Android spyware offers the possibility of monitoring someone constantly, although they do require that the device where the app in installed has a connection to the internet. The activity monitored is uploaded to the provider’s servers and the person who is monitoring can access an account to get an overview. Although the laws vary from one location to the other, in general, employees can only install the software on work devices and they need to inform their employees about this. Parents can only install the software on a device over which they have legal rights such as the phone they purchased for their underage kids. However, as previously mentioned, in many cases these conditions are not met and people install the apps on devices to spy on their partners. Below you will see a list of features supported by Android spy apps.
Ease of access
Spy software is easy to use and anyone can install it, as long as they have physical access to the device and follow the set up instructions correctly. Once it is installed, they can easily access the reports in their dashboard. They can manage different options through this dashboard and select the information that they want to access.
Geolocation
This feature allows to find out someone’s whereabouts. Although it can be useful to find someone who is missing or even to recover a stolen or lost phone, it may also be used by stalkers who just want to know exactly where their target is. Spy apps offer location history and their level of accuracy can be impressive.
Access to personal and sensitive information
Using a spy app, someone with malicious intentions can also get hold of your personal passwords, financial information and more. Your social media profiles, online banking services and other services could be exposed when someone has installed a spy app on your device.
Monitoring IM applications
Nowadays, pretty much everyone uses instant messaging apps and in many cases, these have replaced traditional calls and texts. Many spy applications offer the possibility of monitoring WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, LINE and other popular options. In addition, they can be used to monitor Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other social media sites.
Spy on calls and texts
In addition to offering features that allow to monitor social media and IM apps, spyware also gives access to SMS texts and traditional calls. In some cases, they even allow to listen to calls or to record them. Time stamps, calls received and contacts are also available. Spy software also offers access to photos, calendars, notes and other information kept on our mobile phones.
Conclusion
Spy apps are very powerful and while they can be used for good, it is scary to think about all the information that can be accessed and how it can be misused if it falls into the wrong hands.
This is all good info and feeds my suspicions but actual app names that may be installed that are spyware is more what I am looking for.