Stalkerware is monitoring software or spyware that is used
for stalking. The term was coined when people started to widely use commercial
spyware to spy on their spouses or intimate partners.
“Even though these numbers might seem low, especially when
it comes to stalkerware, it bears mentioning that this form of attack is
focused on specific individuals.
“So, unlike general malware that is distributed on a massive
scale, stalkerware is a more personal crime that has life and death
consequences for the individual affected, for example, a perpetrator can track
down their estranged partner with ill intentions, or human trafficking rings
targeting children,” says Lehan van den Heever, Enterprise Cyber Security
Advisor for Kaspersky in Africa.
Amongst other things, stalkerware can enable the perpetrator
to track a victim’s location, read their messages, view their photos and
videos, eavesdrop on telephone conversations, and see everything typed on the
keypad.
“Our research shows that almost 54 000 users globally were
affected by stalkerware apps in 2020. The fact that these are growing momentum
in Africa should be cause for concern. And even though South Africa has not
been affected by these attacks yet, it is only a matter of time before mobile
users in the country start experiencing the dangers of stalkerware,” he says.
To help combat this, Kaspersky released the TinyCheck, a
tool designed to find stalkerware without its operator knowing. It has recently
been updated to help uncover all types of geo-tracking apps that identify
people’s movements using their GPS data.
“Over and above the threat of stalkerware, our research
shows that malware and adware, although again rather low, still remain
cyberthreats that we urge users in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria to be
cognisant of and protect against,” adds van den Heever.
Kaspersky’s analysis of mobile threats in 2020 shows that in
Kenya 7% of users were affected by malware, and 13% by adware. In Nigeria, the
situation is similar, also showing that 7% of users were impacted by malware
and 17% by adware. In South Africa, 4% of users were targeted with malware and
7% with adware.
“While we advocate that mobile users must protect their
devices with a strong password, they should also never leave their phones
unattended. Furthermore, it is important to block the installation of apps from
third-party sources in their device settings and install a reliable mobile
antivirus solution that detects and warns them about stalkerware and other
malware. Lastly, do not click on links in spam emails,” concludes van den
Heever.
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