Spyware Prevention

Are all types of spyware malicious?

No, there are some valid applications of spyware. For example, your employer might use spyware to monitor employee devices with the aim of protecting proprietary information or ensuring the security of the company network. Parental controls that limit device usage or block inappropriate content are also a legitimate form of spyware.

Chances are, you’ll be aware of any benign spyware when it’s on a device you’re using.Here, we’re focusing on malicious spyware, meaning spyware that sneaks its way onto your device without your knowledge, and with ill intent.

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How to tell if you have spyware

Spyware is designed to be undetectable and untraceable, making it difficult to tell if you have it but not impossible.

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Here are the most obvious warning signs of a spyware infection:

• Your device runs slower than normal.
• Your device freezes or crashes frequently.
• You start getting a ton of pop-ups.
• Your browser homepage changes unexpectedly.
• New or unidentifiable icons appear in the taskbar.
• Web searches redirect you to a different search engine.
• You start getting random error messages when using apps that you’ve never had issues with before.

Of course, these could also be symptoms of other malware infections. To determine exactly what you’re dealing with, dig a bit deeper and scan your device with antivirus software that includes a spyware scanner and remover.

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Examples of spyware threats

Here are some of the most infamous examples of spyware:

• Olympic Vision
  Olympic spyware spreads via an email campaign directed at employees of targeted companies. It records keystrokes and steals clipboard contents and user credentials.
• Zlob
  Zlob is trojan horse spyware that downloads itself onto a computer and records a victim’s browsing history and keystrokes.
• TIBS Dialer
  This is a modem hijacker that disconnects a victim’s PC from a local phone line and connects it to a toll number that accesses pornographic sites.
• CoolWebSearch (CWS)
  This spyware exploits security vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer to take over the browser, change its settings, redirect the user to suspicious websites, and track the victim’s activity.
• Gator
  No longer around, this spyware program would download onto a user’s computer without their knowledge or permission. It would then monitor their browsing habits and target them with display ads.

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How to prevent spyware

While there isn’t a surefire way to stop spyware from watching your activity, you can help prevent it from infecting your devices in the first place. The minimal time and effort you spend doing this will save you the headache of removing it.

Here are a few tips that will help prevent spyware from infecting your device:

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Do's

Use trusted antivirus software with anti-spyware and anti-malware features

Avoid chatting with strangers in messaging apps

Keep your operating system updated

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Dont's

Open suspicious email attachments

Click online pop-ups (block them entirely with a secure browser)

Open links in texts from unknown numbers

From https://www.avast.com/c-spyware

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Who is most under threat from spyware?

People who rely heavily on online banking are particularly alluring targets for hackers looking to capture and exploit financial details. Businesses need to be especially vigilant against spyware to protect their finances and private information.

There are also high-profile cases of authoritarian governments using spyware to secretly keep tabs on journalists and human rights activists. Furthermore, some companies based in countries like China or Russia, such as Moscow-based Kaspersky, have been labeled a security risk by Western governments due to alleged state interference and misuse of their software.

As with most malware, we’re all one careless click, tap, download, or installation away from falling victim to spyware. Some sophisticated strains of spyware can even infect mobile devices through calling apps such as Skype. One highly advanced variant exploits a vulnerability in the popular messaging app WhatsApp to infect smartphones regardless of whether or not a target even answers the attacker’s call.

Generally, everyone who uses a computer, smartphone, tablet, or smart device can become a target of malware. While Windows users are most at risk, spyware has evolved to the point where a growing number of strains are capable of infecting Macs, as well as iOS and Android devices.

Spyware and mobile devices

If we take the thriving mobile spyware industry as an indicator, this form of malware is on the rise. The notorious mobile spyware strain called Pegasus has been repeatedly used against politicians, journalists, and activists around the world. And while the developers of other “mobile monitoring software” claim their products are for employers and parents, there’s nothing stopping anyone from using them for nefarious purposes.

Mobile spyware can monitor everything from emails to financial transactions.

Like computers, smartphones and tablets are also vulnerable to malware. A consistent increase in usage offers cybercriminals a growing number of targets. At the same time, increasingly complex hardware and networks are facilitating the development of new, more powerful malware. On top of this, smartphones offer attackers an additional means of infiltration: text messaging, or SMS.