Attempts at digital espionage have exceeded 37,000 in 2019.

The number of users who experienced at least one attempt to install so-called "stalkerware" (commercial programs used as espionage tools) exceeded 37,000 cases in the first eight months of 2019 (January to August). This represents a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2018. Furthermore, the stalkerware landscape has grown, as Kaspersky discovered 380 variations of this threat in circulation this year – 31% more than a year earlier. These are the main findings of Kaspersky's report 'The State of Stalkerware in 2019'. The so-called spyware programs contain functionalities to invade people's personal lives. With it, a stranger can access messages, photos, social media, location, and audio or camera recordings on the victim's device – and in some cases, this can be done in real time. Unlike legitimate parental control apps, these programs run in the background to remain hidden and are installed without the knowledge or consent of the device owner. They are often marketed as software to spy on a partner. In the first eight months of 2019, 37,532 unique users were targeted by at least one attempt to install stalkerware on their device – and in 2018, this number was 27,798. In Brazil, there were identified installation attempts on 1,232 unique users in 2018 and detections/blockages on 4,041 unique users this year – a growth of 228%. Although these numbers may seem smaller compared to other types of threats (such as financial malware that affected thousands of users in the first half of 2019), it is important to consider that, unlike most consumer threats, stalkerware is typically used to monitor specific victims and often needs to be installed manually – which requires the intruder to have physical access to the device. Additionally, more variations of stalkerware have become available on the market. In the first eight months of 2018, Kaspersky's detection technologies identified 290 potentially dangerous variations. In 2019, this number increased by almost a third, reaching 380. This growth was accompanied by a notable increase in the number of events in 2019 where Kaspersky products detected/blocked this type of software on the devices of 518,223 users, an increase of 373%. Source: IT Inside

Frequently asked questions

What is stalkerware and how does it differ from legitimate parental control apps?

Stalkerware is commercial spyware that runs in the background to remain hidden and is installed without the device owner's knowledge or consent, unlike legitimate parental control apps.

How much did the number of stalkerware variations increase in 2019 compared to 2018?

Kaspersky discovered 380 variations of stalkerware in 2019, a 31% increase from 290 variations in 2018.

What was the increase in stalkerware detection/blocking events in 2019?

In 2019, Kaspersky products detected/blocked stalkerware on 518,223 users' devices, an increase of 373%.