How to detect spyware on phone

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There are several steps that can be taken directly in order to detect spyware on the phone

The impact of spyware is no longer limited to personal computers only, but also extends to smartphones as they are used directly and intensively during the day and perhaps more than computers, and this trend reinforces the importance of detecting spyware on the phone in the effort to protect data online.

Hackers and hacker gangs are aware of the importance of mobile phones in the current era, so they are focusing their efforts on these devices in order to develop spyware and hacking that cannot be easily detected in an attempt to steal data that may include personal identity data or sensitive bank data.

Types of Phone Spyware

Although the concept of spyware seems clear enough, there are many programs that do not attempt to steal your data and instead violate user privacy and make the experience of using the phone or applications in general annoying.

Therefore, spyware on the phone can be divided into more than one type, at the forefront of them come the annoying programs and display ads, then come the usual spyware that tries to steal user data without tracking or pursuing him, and finally comes tracking or stalking programs that collect all personal data such as correspondence, calls, and even use the camera and microphone to track the user in his personal life.

Each type of phone spyware is used differently from the other, as each type has different advantages.

For example, adware does not represent a real risk to user privacy as much as a tool for additional undeserved profits, displaying ads and collecting data on users' behavior to sell it to companies.

In contrast, spyware and digital stalking programs are the most dangerous to the user's personal safety and financial security, as these programs access all the user's confidential data and then steal it directly.

Although they share the final result, each type has a different method: Spyware steals data already stored in the phone, such as passwords or bank card pictures, in order to steal money from these accounts.

Spyware through stalking represents the most dangerous type of all spyware, as it directly threatens the safety of users and tracks their personal lives in all its details, as these applications can open the camera and microphone randomly without warning the user, and they can also track the user's movement in the streets and monitor him fully, and some programs allow displaying the phone screen.

There are many steps that can be taken directly in order to detect spyware on the phone, and these steps are very general, as they are suitable for use with all types of phones and all spyware on the phone, whatever its type and purpose.

1- Strange behavior on the phone

One of the most prominent signs that confirm that the phone has been hacked is the strange behaviors that may occur in the phone, ranging from the presence of strange applications that have been installed without the user's knowledge to strange calls and messages, as well as the disappearance of files and applications from the phone randomly.

This sign indicates the presence of spyware on the phone of several types, as it is not limited to one type of software, and in the case of advertising programs, you may find strange programs installed, while other spyware appears in the form of unknown messages and calls.

2- Ads appear at different times

This sign is a direct signal of the presence of adware, in which case you find ads appearing directly on your phone and at times when they should not appear, while using applications that should not contain ads in particular.

For example, when you make a call through the phone app or try to send a message, or even access the settings menu and even browse photos and text messages.

But it is necessary to differentiate between ads placed by phone companies and malicious ads, and usually Chinese companies such as Xiaomi put application ads directly in the middle of phones while using it normally.

3- The phone is slow and weak performance

Spyware of all kinds are additional programs that run on the phone, in addition to the basic programs that run in the phone, so these programs represent an additional load on the phone system in a way that makes it significantly weaker in performance.

When similar malware is present, the phone becomes slower than usual, and the usual operations take a lot of time to respond to commands directed to them, and in some cases the phone temperature may rise significantly while using it normally.

4- Noise sounds during calls

Calls used in mobile phones via the majority of trusted apps are encrypted between the two parties, meaning that no third party listens to the call, so any noise that occurs in the call must be caused by one of the parties.

In the case of strange and unusual sounds inside the call, this strongly indicates that there is a spyware installed in the phone that tracks and listens to the call, and this means that there is a third party listening to the call directly, and hearing the sounds of sirens during the call may indicate that the call is recorded.

5- The camera and microphone work randomly

All mobile phone companies are now adding new updates to their phones, and thanks to these updates, warning lights appear when using the camera or microphone in the phone, and if those lights work randomly, this directly means that an external party turned on the camera or microphone.

This feature comes directly with remote tracking and monitoring software, and although some parents rely on it to monitor their children's phones, this is a breach of their privacy.

6- Use virus scanners

The development in the field of phone espionage has attracted security companies such as Kaspersky and Avast to develop anti-virus and malicious applications for mobile phones in particular.

The use of such applications helps the user to know the status of the spyware used in the phone and whether he is exposed to such programs, but of course anti-virus programs must be installed from trusted parties such as the sites of famous official companies, so that these applications do not include viruses in themselves.

Although there are several ways to detect spyware on the phone, the best option is always to protect against these programs instead of looking for ways to detect them, and there are many tips that help protect against malicious applications and reduce their impact significantly, and here are some of them:

1- Do not install applications from unknown sources

Installing applications from unknown sources is the first reason for hacking mobile phones, and because "Apple" as an example does not allow installing applications from external sources, the iPhone remains more secure than Android phones of all kinds.

2- Do not leave the phone in the hands of strangers

One of the famous ways to install spyware and surveillance software is the use of the phone by strangers, who can install spyware without anyone noticing them, which puts the primary users of the phone at risk.

Instead of trying to look for ways to detect these spyware apps, it's best to protect the user from them and prevent them from being installed from the start, and this step involves dealing only with authorized and trusted maintenance centers.

3- Do not jailbreak the phone

Many applications that rely on jailbreaking the phone system are spread in Android and iPhone, and although such methods offer strong additional advantages for each type of phone, they are one of the gates to install hacking applications directly.

Therefore, it is always recommended not to jailbreak the phone, whether it is iPhone or Android, in order to protect and secure the sensitive data of each user completely and directly.

4- Stay away from suspicious messages

There are many suspicious messages that reach users via social media platforms and direct messages, and in some cases, these messages include external links, and it is always preferable not to click on external links that come from a user you do not know personally.