A Little-Known Phone Surveillance Operation Compromised Over Half a Million Devices
A little-known phone surveillance operation called Spyzie has compromised more than half a million Android devices and thousands of iPhones and iPads, according to data shared by a security researcher.
Most of the affected device owners, who are unknown, are likely unaware that their phone data has been compromised.
Planted Android Apps and Stolen Apple Credentials
Apps like Spyzie, or Cocospy and Spyic, are designed to stay hidden from home screens, making the apps difficult to identify by their victims. All the while, the apps continually upload the contents of the victim’s device to the spyware’s servers, and are accessible to the person who planted the app.
How to Remove Spyzie Stalkerware
As with Cocospy and Spyic, it was not possible to identify individual victims of Spyzie’s surveillance from the scraped data. But there are things you can do to see if your phone was compromised by Spyzie.
For Android users: Even if Spyzie is hidden from view, you can usually dial ✱✱001✱✱ into your Android phone app’s keypad and then the call button. If Spyzie is installed, it should appear on your screen.
This is a backdoor feature built into the app that allows the person who planted the app on the victim’s phone to regain access. In this case, it can also be used by the victim to see if the app is installed.
For iPhone and iPad users: Spyzie relies on using the victim’s Apple Account username and password to access the data stored in their iCloud account. You should ensure your Apple Account uses two-factor authentication, which is a vital protection against account hacks and a primary way for stalkerware to target your data. You should also check and remove any devices from your Apple account that you don’t recognize.
Conclusion
The latest leak shows how increasingly prevalent consumer phone surveillance apps have become among civil society, even from little-known operations like Spyzie, which barely have any online presence and are largely banned by Google from running ads in search results, and yet have amassed thousands of paying customers. The bug also exposes the email addresses of each customer who signed up to compromise someone else’s device, the researcher said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Spyzie?
A: Spyzie is a stalkerware app that allows users to track and monitor the activities of others, often without their knowledge or consent.
Q: How many devices has Spyzie compromised?
A: According to the security researcher, Spyzie has compromised more than half a million Android devices and thousands of iPhones and iPads.
Q: How do I know if my phone was compromised by Spyzie?
A: For Android users, you can dial ✱✱001✱✱ into your Android phone app’s keypad and then the call button. For iPhone and iPad users, you should ensure your Apple Account uses two-factor authentication and check and remove any devices from your Apple account that you don’t recognize.
Q: What should I do if I think my phone has been compromised by Spyzie?
A: If you or someone you know needs help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) provides 24/7 free, confidential support to victims of domestic abuse and violence. If you are in an emergency situation, call 911. The Coalition Against Stalkerware has resources if you think your phone has been compromised by spyware.
