These days smartphone spyware has become rampant and is the biggest threats to mobile data privacy. Unknown to users’ these apps are usually installed by known people to access your call history, location, text messages, WhatsApp, social media details, photos, videos and much more.
To install these app users’ consent is not required. Therefore, it is important for end users to know about these apps and how to remove them.
Here we bring for you certain indicators that will help you identify phone spyware. Most significant pointer is sudden change in phones performance and battery
Tips to identify Spyware software on your phone
Here we list top 10 tips that will help you identify phone spyware:
1. Sudden Restart and Shutdown
Normally, your phone starts or shuts down only when you do so. But if your phone behaves differently i.e. it restarts or shuts down without your command there’s a possibility that your phone has a spyware in it. Usually, this behavior is noticed in PC when an application is installed because command and control system is affected. But if a sudden restart or shutdown is notices in smartphones then it is a red flag.
2. Battery Drain
Phone spyware are known to drain phone’s battery. If you notice a sudden change in phone’s battery life don’t consider this normal. As this can happen if a spyware app is running in the background. Tracking and spyware apps drain phone’s battery severely especially if they are running constantly. Moreover, if your phone heats up without any reason, same rule applies.
3. Background Noise While Making Calls.
Spyware isn’t designed to play nice with your phone’s functions. Call drop or background noise during a phone call might be an indication of spyware installed in your phone. Undoubtedly other reasons like location, network issue, weather can also cause call drop or noise. Therefore, to narrow down the issue try using another phone, if it works fine and it’s only your phone that is giving issues, then your phone has spyware on it.
4. Increased Data Usage
Spyware doesn’t want to sit on your phone, it is there either to collect data or share the collected information with third parties. This activity might be a reason of increased data usage. To manage data and handle this problem you can use Android’s built in tool Settings > Data Usage in the Wireless & Networks section. Here, you can preview data used by each app and can set a data usage limit. If you find that a recently downloaded application is using more data than usual, then the app is likely to malicious.
5. Your Device is Sending Unusual Messages And Notifications
Spyware applications often use text messages to send command features to be configured on your phone. These messages contain strange symbols and numbers, if you receive any such message then consider your phone to be compromised.
What to do next?
If you’re seeing any of these signs on your phone or suspect that a spyware is installed, you need to take immediate action and remove spyware from your phone. Here we have explained ways to remove spyware.
Ways to remove Spyware from your phone
If you know for fact or suspect that someone has installed spy software on your phone you need to get of rid of it. Here, is your to do list on how to efficiently remove spyware from your phone:
1. Update Phone’s Operating System
Sometimes updating your phone’s operating system is enough to get rid of spyware. As an update has security patches and is capable of resetting app authorizations. Before updating your phone make sure you have backed up important data.
2. Disconnect Your Device From the Internet
If you suspect that someone is spying on you, immediately disable both Wifi and mobile data. Plus, enable Airplane mode to be 100% sure. Once the device is disconnected from the Internet no longer the oppressor will receive any of your personal data. Now that your device is offline you can move to other crucial steps.
3. Manually Removing Affected Files
If you know after installing which app, you have started facing the problem uninstall them manually. But before that make sure you are uninstalling the right file as spyware camouflages as genuine apps. To know about the file, do Google search.
4. Unroot Your Device (Android) Remove Jailbreak (iPhone)
If your Android device is rooted, you should unroot it. You can use an app for this purpose. iPhone users should remove Jailbreak, this can be done by updating the operating system. Jailbreaking allows third party applications to install and access iPhone’s system files. Hence you should never root an Android or jailbreak an iPhone in ordinary situations. Before you do so make sure you have backed up all important data.
5. Reset To Factory Settings
This one is an extreme measure but is very useful. It resets your phone to factory settings. It can be found under settings. Before doing factory reset remember not only you will get rid of spyware, but it will make your phone as new. This means everything stored on your device will be erased. Hence, take a backup if your important data before doing resetting your phone to factory settings.
6. Enable 2FA In All Your Accounts
To protect your device from spyware apps, you need to make sure that all your email accounts are also protected. The best way to protect them is by enabling two-step verification. This will intrude someone else from accessing your device as they will need a specific code that you have it.
7. Use VPN
Another reliable method to protect your device is VPN. A VPN will protect your Internet data from being monitored or accessed by any third party. You can use from the wide range of VPN available.
Wrap Up
In the end we can say phone spyware can be avoided through due diligence. You should always check the app and grant permission that are necessary for functioning of the app. Also, you should use password lock to prevent third party app installation. Besides this keep yourself updated with latest news on threats and how hackers can exploit your data. Steps above will help you identify and remove spyware from your phone. In addition to this you can also use a password app, install security app and always keep phone and security app updated. So that it can protect you from latest threats too.
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