Hidden Spyware on Android devices can be really scary because you are being monitored by hackers. Fortunately, you can find Android spyware-free on Android without having to memorize or Google search for a database of their file names. These malicious files are very dangerous to your smartphone, your information could be stolen which leads to bank theft, device malfunction, access to your contacts, information gathering. So what must you do to tackle such unauthorized access?
Well, you should remember that prevention is actually the best, but if you have already contacted these malicious files such as android spyware, malware, and adware in your phones, then you will have to first check for signs before taking action. The first you might take a look at will be the slowness of the device, that’s not always the case since it could be a lack of storage space, so for this guide, we’ll consider some signs that show your device has contacted the hidden spyware.
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But before looking for the signs, have you wondered how you got the hidden spyware in the first place. Not all devices get this malware, only a few and when devices have been infected by this, it is always hard to get them out, sometimes hard resetting the device doesn’t really help. So knowing how you got it could also be a good preventive measure for you in this feature.
What Causes Android Spyware Infection on Android?
Well, if you are being targeted by a user online due to your comments on a certain topic, but that is very uncommon, so most times it could be these reasons – downloading torrent files, modded apks, visiting the untrusted website, trying some apps for rooted devices, or phishing.
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As a follower of iTech Viral, you are a tech geek or an inspiring one, so you should be self-aware of your security so you don’t fall prey to malware such as spyware. Being careful of the apps you install on your device is a great start, always make sure you have a strong official Anti Virus that is able to withstand the attack. It is also recommended you use at least 2 Anti Virus than a reliant on the device system default security option, this is like a 2-factor authentication for your smartphone.
Signs of hidden spyware on Android (How To)
Hardly do malware detecting apps really help, so how do you know if your device has contacted a malware or any malicious file? We’ll discuss some common signs you must not ignore, neglecting them could result in your device crashing or losing data. As we know, Spywares are mostly hidden from plain sight, so rather than looking for a visible unknown app, we look at the device behavior.
Not only are we informing you about the signs of hidden spyware free from your android, but you’ll also learn how to remove the spyware.
#1. Freezing Device
When your phone hardly operates as it should, this could be a sign it has been infected with malware such as Android Spyware. In most cases it could be due to your device RAM or processor type, so you will need to check if your internet memory hasn’t been used up to 90% of your overall storage capacity, also check the available RAM on your device and make sure the game or app being used isn’t overusing it, and also check for running background apps.
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By now, you should be able to know if it is caused by the above-mentioned reason, it all is okay, then you might just have been infected with malware and someone is monitoring your device activity.
#2. Remotely Controlled Device
In rare cases, the attacker would be able to control some certain accept of your device when you are using it. It isn’t surprising to see your notification panel being moved upwards and downwards, taps on some applications, and weird activities. When you notice your device isn’t giving you full control and access over it, then this could mean someone else has gotten remote control over your device. While you face this issue, it will be wise to turn the phone off and then log in to your accounts on another device to change passwords before attempting to fix the issue on an infected device.
#3. Device Shutdown and Restart
If your phone does not have an automatic restart feature seen on most Samsung devices, but you notice frequent shutdown and restarts, then this could mean your device has contacted spyware. This does not necessarily mean the attacker is shutting down the device, rather it means that your device cannot handle the activities going on in the background, the Android spyware could also be conflicting with the system operation and so your device restarts to fix the issue, but in most cases, it doesn’t.
#4. Mobile Data or Wi-Fi Overage
Most of us have an estimate of how much data should be used daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. So if you notice overage on your data usage and while checking the apps you didn’t see any unusual applications, then this is a result of hidden Android spyware. The hackers need your internet connection in other to extract/steal data from your device and also your personal info, so you might just need to check which apps have the highest usage, and if the spyware isn’t hidden, then you can uninstall it from your device.
#5. Popup Ads
This is the most observed sign most devices face today, you get random popups on your device whenever your internet connection is enabled. These ads don’t allow you to chat with your family and friends, whenever you want to make some research it does cover the whole screen. The most common of these is the “warning virus” with flashy colors on your screen, it warns you that your device has contracted a virus and you must install a one-click app made by them to get secured, if you click such, you’ll see it leads to entirely different content, probably advertising another business.
So if your device receives such popups or one that tells you that you’ve won a prize, and then your device restarts, this is definitely spyware.
#6. Poor Performance
Was your device very good at multi-tasking, playing online games without high pings, no lagging while playing demanding games as you have a strong ram and processor?. Suddenly, you notice you can not play these games in the best graphics, and without facing lags despite the game not having a major version release. Sometimes it could be the company, you might need to wait for some time for their server issues to be fixed, or you have to wait for an update, but if this isn’t the case, then you might have installed spyware on your device without knowing. This could drastically reduce your device performance and a hard reset is usually the way to fix this.
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#7. Outdated OS & Security Patches
Branded companies like Apple, Redmi, Infinix love frequent updates on their devices, though this might not always apply to devices older than 2 years. If for a while you have not checked for software updates, then you might as well be lacking way behind some cool features that will make your device easily accessible, and also come with a better security patch for new malware. As soon as you get the chance, you must consider checking for updates regularly, these security patches update or OS upgrade such as Android 11 can fight against threats like Android spyware for free.
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#8. Android Spyware with no Names
We’ve noticed this when trying to install an app on the internet, these apps claim to be what they aren’t, though this is usually the user’s fault. There was a time we wanted to install an app not found in Google play like lucky patcher, after the installation, the icon was nowhere to be found, all we saw was “open” and “done”. After we clicked “open”, nothing happened, but when we checked the application manager, it was evident the app was installed but wasn’t with any identity.
So it was uninstalled from the application manager and all related files on the file manager got deleted also. This shows how vital it is to be careful while installing apps other than ones from the device store.
#9. Increased Battery Usage
If you just got a new phone not up to 6 months, and you are certain the battery consumption started after visiting a webpage or installing an application outside the app store, Android spyware is the cause. Regularly checking what apps drain your device battery could also help, if you also have an always-on display, adaptive brightness, then consider disabling them in the meantime while you monitor the usage. If after this you cannot find where the issue is, Android spyware is running in the background, and this leads to the sudden battery life fast discharging of your device.
#10. Sudden Phone Call Stuttering
While making calls, do you often have issues with the hearing on your device, your android phone could be stuttering while making calls and this leads to a beeping noise or other forms of noises. If this is the case, you need to recheck all applications on your device, the spyware could have been installed by a trusted friend or anyone who got hold of your device, they would be able to intercept your conversations without your permission. Android spyware apps also use this means to get sensitive information from their target.
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#11. Weird Files and Folders
If you notice some weird files and folders on your device memory, then this could be an Android spyware-free tool installed by a third party. It is not the case for SD cards because when such folders are found with weird extensions? it is usually because of memory card corruption. When you begin to see empty folders with some bad naming and extensions, you need to not just delete them, but check the creation date and then look for applications you might have installed that that or websites visited on the same date, that will really be helpful in finding android spyware apps installed on your phone.
So these are the common ways to check your device for spyware installed, there are also apps that scan for this malware, only a few actually get rid of them. So you might want to take a look at some good antivirus applications that scans for malware and then removes them. If they don’t really do the work, you need to reset your device or flash.
Android Spyware File Names
There are many unknown hidden spyware file names online, but only a few have been successfully verified, so we’ll mention them. When you see such a harmful program installed on your Android device, you need to uninstall them or reset your device. Actually, you will likely not see these apps installed on your device, what you should look out for is strange applications not installed by you, if you see a double calculator app or a duplicate android app, you should uninstall both to be on a safer side.
#1. XNSPY
Though not available on Google Play Store like all spyware apps, it is still the most popular Android spyware file to monitor people’s conversations. If you see this app installed on your device without your knowledge, it’s is evident someone is monitoring your activity, so be careful with who you let have access to your device when you aren’t around. The app is available for Android and iPhone, it is not free, but you can have demo access to see how it works. Here are its key features.
- Full access to phone calls and contact list.
- Check location in real-time accurately.
- View all sent SMS, iMessage, and instant messaging apps like WhatsApp.
- Call recording and alert for inappropriate words.
- Remotely control the device, change sensitive settings on browsers.
- An important analysis of top visited websites, and more data.
- Logs of Wi-Fi connection activities.
#2. SpyHuman
This all-in-one android monitoring app works without root too, it is not free but offers a 7 days trial for new users. Once installed on the target device, it can be used to monitor conversations like WhatsApp chats, Facebook, and other social media, Telegram might be an exception due to its security. SpyHuman comes with a tracking feature that is helpful when your second device is stolen, using this Hidden Android spyware-free app, you can take full control of any device this is installed on.
- View all call logs, SMS, and contact list.
- Track GPS location in real-time, when location access is enabled.
- Record all incoming and outgoing calls.
- Have direct access to WhatsApp and Facebook conversations.
- Block websites, view browsing history and check device details.
- Record Live, access file manager, and block calls remotely.
#3. Mobisealth
Remotely monitor cell phones and computers using this Android spyware app/software. It is compatible with iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS operating systems. It has access to more social media platforms like Snapchat, Viber, Skype, Kik, Line, etc. Android root or iOS jailbreak isn’t required to run this app, the spyware has been featured and known as one of the best. The pricing for android is higher due to the number of users on the OS.
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- Gmail logging gives you access to all sent and received emails.
- An exclusive feature for android only which is call logging, tapping on calls.
- View all activities on the phone through Keylogging.
- Monitor all media on the device like photos, videos, and GIFS
- Check all installed application list and web browsing history.
Top Android Spyware Free Removal Tool
Okay, so we’ve talked about the spyware file names, so now we’ll take a look at some antispyware tools that will protect you from those violating the app and then your privacy. So here are the top Spyware free removal tools for Android, and if available, other operating systems like Windows, and iOS.
#1. Spyware Detector
Incognito app is a free spyware application that is able to detect whenever an Android spyware has been installed on your device. After an install, you need to use the quick scan button available on the app to check all files, applications and hidden spyware-free apps installed on your device by stalkers. When an Android spyware has been discovered on the device, it notifies you, it will include the spyware list too. If you want to be informed of new threats and how to be security conscious, the developer has made that possible too.
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#2. Anti Spy & Spyware
As expected, this app doesn’t need root access to detect Android spyware apps installed on your device. It also scans for spyware files installed remotely on your phone when you might be on a web page or if you installed a file from an untrusted site. It easily detects spies app, SMS trackers Hidden ads, bank bots that mines in the background and features malware detection. It has support for older android versions and it is free to use, accessible only on Android at 3.4MB.
Conclusion
Spyware is not just creepy, but very harmful to your Android devices. This hidden Android spyware steals your information, frustrates your while using your phone, and also renders your device unusable. So now you’ve been educated about Android spyware-free removal apps, how to detect them, and prevent them, you should be able to better protect your data from attackers. I hope this post has helped you learn all you should know about such malware, don’t forget to use the share buttons to let others know about the dangers of Android spyware.
