Stalkerware, a remote stalking software that’s being avoided by many antivirus softwares as spyware, is now being detected by more antivirus softwares. Since it’s being advertised as a legitimate tool for spying on others, it’s wasn’t flagged by antivirus softwares for a long time. But now, research shows the detection rate has increased.
Now Being Flagged by Most
Now Being Flagged by MostResearch made by AV-Comparatives, an independent antivirus testing lab along with Electronic Frontier Foundation, revealed the antivirus softwares on Android and Windows are finally flagging the Stalkerware as malicious spyware. The research was done in two phases like one in November 2019 and next in May 2020.
This survey declared the improvement of detection rates in Stalkerware, on both Android and Windows. Researchers have taken 10 Android and Windows antivirus softwares and check the status of flagging. In Androids, the detection rate was between 35-95% in November last year, which was increased to 75-95% in May this year. 9 out of 10 apps have recorded this feat.
On the other hand, all 10 antivirus softwares in Windows had a flagging rate below 70% in November 2019 but dramatically increased to at least 70% in May 2020. Moreover, four softwares have even achieved a score of 100%. This was seen as a good move by both the security and privacy experts. Since Stalkerware, as it boasts, isn’t a kind of legitimate parental control app. But rather, known spyware.
Stalkerware is often advertised openly as a legitimate tool to track employees for any malicious activities, on kids of abusive behavior or partners for any cheating assumptions. While these causes may be claimed to be okay, it’s still installed and hid as a known feature or app within the victim phone to go unnoticed. Moreover, since it’s distributed openly rather than on hacking forums, it claims to be a stalking tool rather than spyware.
Via: ZDNet
