Stalkerware, spy applications, grew by 358% in Brazil

The act of "stalking" someone else's social network for entertainment is not a crime, but the problem can be complicated when it becomes an obsession. The practice stalking, from English, means to follow someone impulsively, frequently and with obsession, becoming a crime in Brazil in March 2022 through the Law 14.131/21.

The Law approved last year guarantees that things are not going so well here, because the percentage frightening access to spying applications, known as stalkerware, has grown considerably.

spy apps in Brazil

Cybersecurity company Avast said there has been a 358% increase in spy apps over the last three years. In addition to being a crime in Brazil, apps are recognized as malware for technology, as stated by Avast, as it accesses a person's data without that person being able to authorize it.

It was through the Avast report that they detected the crescent from January 2020 to December 2022. The crescent considers that the medical rate in 2020 varied between 30 and 100 thousand people; in 2022, the rate ranged from 142 to 100,000 people.

The applications allow the spy to have access to various information, from text messages to links accessed in the browser, as well as access to calls made. That is, the person is extremely exposed virtually.

Jakub Vavra, an analyst at Avast, says these apps are secretly installed on people's devices acquaintances: between spouses, friends, parents or children, adding that the practice can lead to physical harm and psychological.

“It's not just about stealing sensitive data, there are also tangible security implications. of the target individual”, said Vavra, stating that the victim is in a vulnerable state in the face of the action criminal.

How do I know if I'm being spied on?

If you're suspicious of spying, pay attention to these details on your device:

• The cell phone was slow and performance worsened. The cell phone becomes heavy and performance decreases when there is a presence of a malware;
• When a new page opens without your having asked or when new icons appear on the home screen;
• Unexplained phone calls;
• Receive strange pop-ups and messages.

Lover of movies and series and everything that involves cinema. An active curious on the networks, always connected to information about the web.