Taking over 60k spyware user accounts with SQL injection

> Q: Can I monitor a phone without them knowing?

> A: Yes, you can monitor a phone without them knowing with mobile phone monitoring software. The app is invisible and undetectable on the phone. It works in a hidden and stealth mode.

How is that even possible on a modern Android? I'd think one of the explicit goals of the security model would be to prevent this.

I'm not familiar with this app but based on the read, it sounds like they're essentially relying on someone to sneak into the target's phone, install an apk with a 'Settings' logo, where you grant it all permissions (I assume the installer facilitates the process of manually granting full permissions for each permissions type and disabling battery optimization). Android does allow you to effectively delegate full permissions to an app like that, albeit in a manual way.

Camera and microphone usage should be hard-wired to an LED

and a switch which has a physical air gap when off.

Thanks for your suggestion, but at this time the NSA cannot allow this change.

I wonder if it would show up in periodic permissions scans done by android. Hopefully!

But as the TechCrunch author stated, oftentimes alerting the stalker can be dangerous for the victim.

Haha! That gave me a good laugh.

"But the switch will compromise its water tightness like the headphone jack does!" - every mobile sycophant.

I think setting up your own evil-proxy or evil-wifi-hotspot and periodically connecting your phone to them may help in the detection of these and many other phone home malware. I am getting closer to the paranoia threshold to almost give it a try.

Magnets and reed switches? Crazy talk!

Or worse: It might add 15 cents to the BOM!

Then you would've seen some encrypted traffic to firebase which probably includes a bunch of legitimate apps on your phone too.

Mics listen for voice commands all the time and some cameras can be activated without their LEDs.