Spyware: How to know if they are spying on your cell phone and keys to avoid falling

The conversations of Whatsapp, your credit card information, search and browsing history, images and videos and even your real-time location could be in the hands of third parties and all without your knowledge. This could happen if you installed a file spyware.

Although these types of infections have gained notoriety thanks to cases of famous people, the reality is that it can happen to any regular user.

A usual method of infection It involves accepting the terms and conditions of a seemingly trustworthy application that is being used as a cover for a computer virus. When you are already inside the system, runs in the background and starts collecting informationas well as to analyze all the activities that take place during its use.

However, there are different types of spyware and the ways they can enter and take over mobile devices.

While rogue apps can be one of the main routes of infection for a device, it is not the only one – text messages or emails can contain malicious links or attachments. Once opened, spyware is installed on the device without the user’s consent.

Another vulnerability factor is in the Operating system. If you are not up to date with the latest security patches, spyware can take advantage of the situation to gain access to your device.

Furthermore, connect a mobile phone to a public Wi-Fi network can be potentially a safety hazard. While connected, there is a risk that spyware could intercept the communication and gain access to the device. This can happen when the user browses websites or uses applications that are not properly encrypted.

How to know if you have spyware installed on your phone

In case of any kind of suspicion or doubt that a mobile may be infected with spyware, or if you simply want to take this precaution (usually the devices work normally), it is best to act as soon as possible to find out.

To achieve this, there are a few ways to find out if your smartphone is infected with any of these malicious software.

Three ways to find out if a cell phone is infected with spyware

One of the main clues that reveal spyware has to do with the battery life and mobile data consumption on your device.

The functioning of this software directly affects the autonomy of the mobile phone and also the consumption of Internet access. Therefore, if you perceive that the battery lasts less than usual and, furthermore, mobile data spending has suspiciously increased, there may be spyware.

Another essential source of information will be found when you access your device’s mobile permissions.

To find out if a spy app has been installed, a highly recommended strategy is to review mobile permission settings. There you can find out which applications have access to certain aspects and information, such as reading text on the screen, being able to enter messages or using your location.

Check installed applications on cell phone is another effective method to discover spyware. If you see an app with a strange name or icon in the list, either because you don’t remember installing it or it looks suspicious, it’s likely malware.