Content warning: This piece contains brief descriptions of domestic violence and assault against women and children. In the past five years, only two stalkerware developers, both of whom designed, marketed, and sold tools favored by domestic abusers to pry into victims’ private lives, have faced federal consequences for their actions. Following a guilty plea in court, one was ordered to pay … [Read more...]
Parental monitoring apps: How do they differ from stalkerware?
In late June, Malwarebytes revived its long-running campaign against a vicious type of malware in use today. This malware peers into text messages. It pinpoints victims’ movements across locations. It reveals browsing and search history. Often hidden from users, it removes their expectation of, right to, and real-world privacy. But after we recommitted our staunch opposition to this type of … [Read more...]
Helping survivors of domestic abuse: What to do when you find stalkerware
We’re going to talk about something different today. We’re going to talk about domestic abuse. Earlier this year, cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab announced that the latest upgrade to its Android app would inform users about whether their devices were running stealthy, behind-the-scenes monitoring apps sometimes referred to as stalkerware. This type of software can track unsuspecting … [Read more...]