Stalkerware Detection Rates Are Improving Across Antivirus Products (zdnet.com) 3
Detections rates for stalkerware applications on Android and Windows devices are slowly improving, according to the findings of a seven-month research project carried out by independent antivirus testing lab AV-Comparatives and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. From a report: The study, published earlier this week, took place in two phases, with the first in November 2019, and the second in May 2020. Researchers looked at how 10 Android mobile antivirus apps and 10 Windows antivirus products detected some of today's most prevalent stalkerware strains. The stalkerware strains, 20 on Android and 10 on Windows, were chosen by AV-Comparatives together with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), based on their popularity in the US. The study discovered that many antivirus companies have improved their detection rates between the November 2019 scan and May 2020.
Stalkerware? (Score:3)
My first thought was, what the hell is stalkerware?
Toward the end of the article, it gives the alternative name "spouseware" which is maybe slightly more descriptive. As best I can tell, these are legally-sold applications - presumably they don't use any exploits, and require granted access to the system - but once they are installed they use malware tactics to hide themselves from the user. Stuff like using the process names of Windows executables.
Prior art (Score:4)
Every move you make, and every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I'll be watching you
--The Police
Outsourced!