This spyware can collect data from your phone: Heres how to remove it

Stalkware are certain software programs, often installed by someone familiar to the device owner, can discreetly collect information about the user’s activities without their permission. This may involve tracking their whereabouts, communication history, digital footprint, and even accessing the device’s audio and visual features without their awareness or authorization

Google Play Protect Setting

Google Play Protect is one of safest option to consider while screening your smartphone for Stalkware. It screens the apps downloaded from Google’s app store and look for outside signs of potentially malicious activity. The protect setting will stop working if your Play Protect is switched off. Ensure that your Play Protect is switched on

You can check that Play Protect is enabled through the Play Store app settings. You also can scan for harmful apps, if a scan hasn’t been done already.

Look for unusual behavior

If your smartphone is rapidly draining battery and the increased data usage, it means that your smartphone is attacked by Stalkware. Additionally, you can also check for unexpected shutdowns ar any other anomalies in the phone’s behavior.

Trusted security app

You can download and install a reputable mobile security app from the Google Play Store. You can open a security app and perform a scan of your device o identify malicious apps.

Perform a factory reset on Android

You can go to your device settings app and then scroll down on the “System” or “General management.” There you will see a Reset options which will further take you to “Factory data reset” or “Erase all data”.

It will ask you to enter your device PIN or password for security purposes. Then tap on “Reset” or “Erase everything” to confirm the factory reset. Now your device will reset to its factory settings and remove all your data and apps.

Check notification access

You need to switch off notification access for any app that you do not recognize. Android allows third party apps to access and read your notifications. If by mistake you grant notification access to a Stalkware app, then it will start surveillance of your notifications, which includes message and other alerts.