How to Remove Spyware from Your Phone and Protect Your Privacy

While security software has come a long way in the last ten years, hackers, data breaches and identity thefts still dominate the headlines. Just last month, Apple’s security whole made rounds on the Internet. According to the Telegraph, the company issued an urgent software update, after attempted hack with, as Apple called it, “the most sophisticated spyware package ever seen”. A report from Lookout and Citizen Lab revealed that thanks to this spyware, an iPhone could be easily compromised with a single tap of a finger. While the update will fix the vulnerability, one has the wonder, just how many other weakness our phones have?

Spyware still pops up in the news every few months, but the fact is, most spyware attacks don’t even get reported. Furthermore, according to statistics gathered by the Statistic Brain Research Institute (published this September), more than 8 million households reported spyware problems in the United States alone. If we were to look at the problem on a global scale, the number would be even bigger.

The Dangers of Spyware

So you know that spyware is pretty widespread today, but do you actually know why spyware is so dangerous? For starters, standard spying malware can compromise your privacy, and provide cybercriminals with information about your browsing, shopping and overall phone habits without your knowledge. Thieves mostly use spyware to expose your usernames and passwords, and steal your personal information. This type of data leakage is more common than you think, in fact, Identity Theft Resource Center reports that roughly 15 million people in the US get their private data stolen every year.

Protective Measures

• Use a VPN

In most cases, people use a VPN in order to stay anonymous on the Internet and browse safely, but a VPN will also keep you safe from malicious software. You see, secure providers like ExpressVPN encrypt the connection between your device and the Internet, which prevents hackers from stealing your passwords or installing malicious software on your phone. If you want to know more about basic security features, feel free to read an ExpressVPN review and inform yourself on the matter even further.

• Download from Trusted Sources

Most spyware victims are people who download every app they see without any hesitation, but a little education can go a long way toward the prevention of spyware. If you really want to minimize the risk, you should start downloading software and apps from trusted sources. In addition, if possible, find an antivirus that checks every app before you install it on your phone, and helps you avoid companies you aren’t certain you can trust.

• Factory Reset

Finally, one of the most efficient ways to remove any malware and spyware from your phone is to run a factory reset on it. The reset will practically uninstall everything from apps to contacts and saved settings on your device, which is why it’s the best way to ensure that your device is free of all tracking software. Of course, if you don’t want to say goodbye to your address book or your pictures and videos, you should run a backup on everything except of your installed applications.

Top Four Anti-Spyware Apps

1. Privacy Scanner

Privacy Scanner can help you see if your phone is being tracked. So if a hacker (or even your spouse or parents) installed a tracking app on your device, it means that this person can view and manage everything on your smartphone – calls, messages, contact list, and more. But with this app, everything from SpyBubble to UonMap Spy can be detected in a matter of seconds.

2. Hidden Device Administrator

The first free solution on our list can detect practically any malware that is used to spy on your activity, even those apps that are hidden and accessible only by admins. Did you know that on Android, certain types of spyware can take advantage of any system weakness to avoid detection and remain hidden? But thankfully, Hidden Device Admin Detector finds and gets rid of any disguising malware in your smartphone, no matter how hidden it is.

3. SMS/MMS Spy Detector

In some cases, people fail to see that their phone’s been infected with spyware, until after a couple of months, they notice that they have unusually high bill (if they have a postpaid package) or that their phone is constantly running out of credit (prepaid packages). This happens because certain types of malware send SMS and MMS messages without you knowing, but with SMS/MMS Spy, you’ll never have to worry about any unexpected bills again.

4. Anti Spy Mobile

Last but not least, you have a free anti-spyware app that can easily scan and remove every single last piece of spyware on your phone. AntiSpy has a great detection system with fantastic detention rates that even detects the latest and toughest malicious spying programs that are currently wreaking havoc all over the world. Of course, you have a paid version of the software, which automatically scans everything in the background.

Final Thoughts

If you think that someone has installed spyware on your phone without your consent, you have to take steps to get rid of it immediately. What’s more, even if you doubt that someone installed tracking programs on your smartphone, you should definitely improve your phone’s security and avoid any future attacks on your privacy. Thankfully, you don’t even have to have any advanced technical skills to get everything done – the best thing to do is install a couple of protective apps and build habits around data privacy. After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.