Malware·2,763 discussions

Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

Tags: Malware, Security, Smartphones

Hello,

I have some questions pertaining to spy/stalkerware and am hoping that someone can assist me with them.

Just some background. I had used the wifi network at a particular organization over a period of months – last year, mainly from my phone and at times from my laptop. I haven’t been there or used their network for months now, but it has become increasingly apparent to me that they must have installed some spy or stalkerware on my phone that enables them to listen in to my conversations. There had been suggestions from others who frequented that organization that there was a hacker and they may be a member of staff. Also, others making comments like “it’s as if the walls have ears” which also occurred to me.

The questions I have are:

1. If I download an app like Avast and try to detect and remove the spyware from my phone, would there be any way (i.e. any technical signature) to prove by whom/where it was installed?

2. Would they have had access to all my emails, files, texts etc. on my phone aside from the listening/surveillance aspect of it?

3. I tether my laptop to my phone’s data network, would that have given them access to files on my laptop?

What’s really creepy and disgusting about this is that they are an organization that exists to support people and instead they seem entitled to use these illegal surveillance tactics to monitor clients. That’s in addition to other disturbing, controlling tactics I had experienced/observed.

Apologies that this post is quite long.

Thanks so much.

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Reply To: Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

In reply to Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

1. Not who did it where? Maybe only when. But antivirus doesn’t generally tell that, it just puts it in quarantine or deletes it.
2. Depends on the malware.
3. Doesn’t seem very likely. It might depend on the security set up on the laptop also.

The best thing to do, if you suspect malware, is to go back to factory conditions on the phone. That usually suffices to remove everything. Then reinstall your apps and restore your data from your backup.

Reply To: Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

In reply to Reply To: Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

Thank you for taking the time to respond to me kees_b. That’s too bad if there’s no way to prove where it was done or by whom, but at least “when” would narrow it down.

While I may go the factory reset route, I was planning to buy another phone at some point anyway, so I may just do that instead.

About my laptop, I use Avast antivirus, their firewall and sometimes their vpn as well.

Just one follow-up question for you or anyone else, please.

If I transfer the existing SIM from my current phone to a new one, is that likely to transfer the malware as well? I’ve done some reading about it and it sounded like that’s not likely, but I’d be interested in knowing what others think.

Thanks again.

Reply To: Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

In reply to Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

Hi! Fom my experience, apps like Avast can help detect and remove spyware, but they might not always reveal who installed it. If spyware was installed, it could access your texts, emails, and files, but tethering your laptop to your phone’s data network wouldn’t typically expose laptop files to the phone’s spyware.

Reply To: Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

In reply to Reply To: Spyware – Is it possible to detect/prove origin?

Hi chisholmrj,

Thanks for your response. That’s good to know about files on my laptop at least. At the end of the day, I shouldn’t have let my guard down and left my phone so exposed (even at a Christian organization apparently!).

[Author]

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