In an effort to protect user’s privacy, Google has pulled several Android apps from the PlayStore after a report by researchers at Internet security company Avast identified them.
The offending apps, that were made by a Russian developer, essentially allowed its user to actively track employees, romantic partners or kids. In case you were wondering, the apps were Track Employees Check Work Phone Online Spy Free, Spy Kids Tracker, Phone Cell Tracker, Mobile Tracking, Spy Tracker, SMS Tracker, Employee Work Spy.
Worryingly, the apps were installed a combined 130,000 times with the most installs by a Spy Tracker app followed by an SMS tracker which attracted 50,000 installs.
In order for these apps to work, the stalker would have to access the phone that they want to spy on and download the apps from the PlayStore. Once installed, the apps would ask the stalker to input their email address and password to monitor the ill-gotten data. The apps are quite well hidden without any app icon visible, making them virtually undetectable to the naked eye.
Even more sneaky is the fact that the apps actually help the stalker cover their tracks by providing them directions to uninstall the apps and leave no trace of their nefarious activity.
Avast’s head of mobile threat intelligence and security Nikolas Chrysaidos said he identified the apps using Avast’s mobile threat detection platform apklab.io.
“These apps are highly unethical and problematic for people’s privacy and shouldn’t be on the Google Play Store,” Chrysaidos said. “They promote criminal behavior, and can be abused by employers, stalkers or abusive partners to spy on their victims. We classify such apps as stalkerware, and using apklab.io we can identify such apps quickly, and collaborate with Google to get them removed.”
