Experts from Uswitch mobiles are warning mobile phone users as more than 20 popular apps have been found to be disguising spyware or malicious software.
The apps, which are advertised as family tracking apps are encrypted with spyware software, meaning that the quarter of a million people searching for them over the past 12 months could be at potential threat of a data breach.
The research has looked at searches for stalkerware apps in the U.K. over a 12 month period to determine the scale at which these apps are the most prevalent. The outcome of the search data review is:
| App | Total Ave. monthly searches on Google, Apple App Store and Google Play Store | Annual searches |
| mSpy | 10,320 | 123,840 |
| Hoverwatch | 1,980 | 23,760 |
| uMobix | 1,369 | 16,320 |
| ClevGuard | 1,360 | 16,320 |
| XNSPY | 1,040 | 12,480 |
| eyeZy | 1,040 | 12,480 |
| FlexiSPY | 750 | 9,000 |
| Cocospy | 620 | 7,440 |
| Spyic | 410 | 4,920 |
| Spyine | 410 | 4,920 |
Of the apps listed, mSpy is by far the most notorious stalkerware software on the market. The app which sells itself as a tracker app similar to the iPhone ‘Find My’ app has been searched almost 124,000 times in the past year with people unaware of the scam.
Once downloaded, people are encouraged to download additional software in order to make the app work properly, enabling the virus to take over your phone.
Whilst mSpy has the highest number of searches overall, Google searches for eyeZy have risen by 122 percent, and by 100 percent on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store over a 12 month period. Similarly, in third position, searches for uMobix are on the rise, with searches increasing by 50 percent compared to last year.
While all phones could be subject to a spyware cyberattack, a user is at greater risk of having this spyware software downloaded onto their phone if they own an older phone model as security updates are no longer compatible.
For example, the latest iOS iPhone update is available on models as far back as the iPhone 8, so if you are looking to purchase an iPhone 7 or below, your phone may not be as secure.
Furthermore, as many of these apps need installing physically on the device, this also means that second-hand handsets can be at greater risk of spyware intrusion, especially if bought from a resell site such as eBay as there is no guarantee that the seller will have battery reset the device.
Uswitch’s mobile expert, Rehan Ali explains to Digital Journal: “With mobile contract prices having risen by up to 17.3% in April 2023, many people can simply not afford to purchase new phones. As a result, mobile phone users are turning to refurbished mobiles paired with a SIM only contract to cut costs”
Ali adds: “It is increasingly important for users to understand the risks of possible spyware software downloaded on devices. If purchasing mobiles from unauthorised resale markets where proof of a factory reset is not required, buyers must take their own precautionary measures to ensure that a device is spyware free before using.”
