Do you really need to worry about spyware on your phone?

Summary

Spyware is a slim threat for most people, but there are exceptions, such as journalists and activists in authoritarian regimes.
You can usually avoid infection by following standard cybersecurity practices.
If you suspect you’re infected, the only surefire way of removing spyware is to perform a factory reset.

Anyone who recalls the early days of the internet might also remember some parents (or grandparents) being convinced that everything would infect their computer with a virus, including even something as trivial as installing a game. That level of paranoia is still around in some areas of the tech world — consider how often people think their smart speakersare recording them 24/7, or that 5Gcell towers are secretly being used to control the population. Usually, it stems from a misunderstanding of the technology involved, combined with broader anxieties about governments and corporations.

Those things are distractions from some of the legitimate cybersecurity threats out there, including spyware. Yes, mobile spyware is not only real, but increasingly well-documented in how it works and impacts real people. Should you be worried about getting a spyware infection on your iPhoneor Androiddevice?

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What does mobile spyware do?

Getting started with some definitions

As the name implies, spyware isn’t about sabotaging your phone, but snooping on you and/or the people you associate with. Once you’re infected, the software operates in the background, passing information along to a remote server or even just an email address. It may be used by shady governments and businesses, as well as stalkers and other criminals.

Some spyware apps can log keystrokes, or hijack your phone’s camera and microphone.

One common focus is on monitoring your messaging and phone calls, including not just what you say but to whom. Spyware may also grant someone access to your photos, videos, emails, browser history, and location data. That last point is especially threatening since it can be used to predict where you’ll be and when. A stalker could use GPS data to harass or assault you, for example, and in some countries, a government might be ready to imprison you — or worse.

Some spyware apps can log keystrokes or hijack your phone’s camera and microphone, granting access to your personal life that even a human spy would have trouble achieving. You’re most likely to see that technology in government-operated spyware.

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How much do you need to worry about spyware on your phone?

Circumstances are everything

The average person probably doesn’t have to worry about spyware, so long as they follow basic safety precautions — more on those in a minute. A recent study by iVerify, an enterprise security company, identified just 2.5 spyware infections per every 1,000 scans. And that’s among people more likely to be targeted by spyware, such as journalists, executives, and government officials.

That context matters a great deal. While many criminals (and criminal organizations) would love to steal your banking info, or learn when you’re away from home, it’s another thing to acquire and deploy spyware that’s genuinely undetectable. Many spyware tools have already been identified, and both Apple and Google regularly scan the apps submitted to their app stores. They also update the security in iOS (Apple) and Android (Google) frequently. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll be infected by any apps you download.

The people who most need to be concerned about spyware are journalists, dissidents, opposition politicians, and human rights activists.

That said, the most advanced spyware relies on “zero-click” exploits, meaning you can be infected by something as simple as receiving a text message or phone call — even if you don’t reply. The best-known example of this is Pegasus, a tool developed by an Israeli firm, NSO Group, for sale to governments worldwide. While Apple and Google are always trying to close such exploits, spyware developers have strong financial and political incentives to keep finding them.

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What can you do to protect yourself against spyware?

Common sense and skepticism are your allies

When it comes to protecting yourself against criminals, standard cybersecurity principles apply. Keep your device’s operating system up-to-date, use complex passwords, and don’t tap on links from sources you don’t recognize. Even if you recognize a source, it may be worth double-checking a link’s address before continuing. Some attackers use spoof URLs that are close enough to the real deal to trick a casual viewer, and you could accidentally end up downloading a spyware installer, whether directly or through a malicious website.

Likewise, you shouldn’t share logins or other private info with people you don’t trust, especially if they contact you out of the blue. If you’re strongly concerned about spyware, you may want to stick to well-known apps and websites, and avoid installing apps from anywhere other than the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. There are legitimate reasons to get apps from elsewhere — particularly if you’re a developer or in the European Union, but most people shouldn’t bother.

Your best defense may be to watch for potential signs of spyware infection or attempted infection:

New and unexpected app icons
Unusual battery drain or overheating
Sudden slowdowns, crashes, or reboots
Strange noises during phone calls
Wild surges in data consumption
Garbled or otherwise suspicious text messages

Some of these things may be attributable to other causes, like conventional software glitches, which you should rule out if you can. If you still suspect you’re infected, you may be able to block or purge the spyware by updating iOS or Android. The only guaranteed solution is to perform a factory reset, wiping your phone clean. Don’t restore from a backup, though — that could actually bring the spyware back.

The only guaranteed solution is to perform a factory reset, wiping your phone clean.

If government intrusion is a significant risk for you, extreme security precautions are called for. Only go online with an ultra-secure VPN (virtual private network), combined with a Tor-based web browser. Messaging should be limited to apps with end-to-end encryption, like Signal, and you may still want to hold your most sensitive conversations in person. It could also be worth performing factory resets regularly since the “best” spyware will be truly invisible.