Android stalkerware detection rates surged over 2020

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https://www.zdnet.com/article/stalkerware-adoption-rates-surge-over-2020-hundreds-of-vulnerabilities-found/

Android stalker and spyware detection surged by 48% over the past year, and not only do these apps invade user privacy, vendors do not appear to care about tackling vulnerabilities found in their creations.

This week, ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko released telemetry data focused on Android stalkerware detection, revealing that usage of these dubious apps began to climb in 2019 -- with a five-fold increase reported in comparison to 2018 -- and this trend continued in 2020, highlighting their ongoing popularity.

"The research should serve as a warning to potential future clients of stalkerware to reconsider using software against their spouses and loved ones, since not only is it unethical, but also might result in revealing the private and intimate information of their spouses and leave them at risk of cyberattacks and fraud," Stefanko commented.

Android stalkerware detection rates surged over 2020

Not only are the apps potentially unethical, but vendors also aren’t interested in fixing core security issues found within them.

www.zdnet.com