“…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.”
A young Nigerian wife who had been anxiously expecting to join her husband in London suddenly had her dreams completely quashed. Not by Her Majesty’s immigration services who were satisfied with her application. The husband changed his mind and withdrew the application. She had been conducting a discreet affair with a family friend. The husband had all the sordid details as he had installed a stalkerware on her phone and had access to all her messages.
Stalkerware is a malicious monitoring software or spyware that is used for monitoring and tracking people electronically.
Lovers, employers, business partners and commercial competitors are resorting to spyware to have access to the trove of secrets people now store on their phones. This problem was highlighted by a research carried out by the cybersecurity and anti-virus giant, Kapersky, while conducting work on the product ‘TinyCheck’. Kapersky’s new software allows phone users to discover and disable stalkerware on their gadgets. TinyCheck can also be used by individuals and firms to prevent their computer networks from being infiltrated via Wi-Fi.
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In the course of the research that supported product development, Kaspersky found out that in 2020 stalkerware affected one out of every 100 mobile users in Kenya and Nigeria and malware every four out of 100 in South Africa.
Kapersky’s new offering against malicious softwares prevents the tracking of a phone user’s location viewing of their photos and videos, eavesdropping on telephone conversations, and access to other types of data that can make them easy preys to kidnappers, assailants, traffickers, business spies etc.
Referencing the research, Lehan van den Heever, the Enterprise Cyber Security Advisor for Kaspersky in Africa, said: “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.”
“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.
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“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.”
Advising phone users on how to disapprove stalkerware and ensure their phones are safe for use, the Kaspersky boss explained that “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.”
