Where Do We Go From Here? Stalkerware, Spouseware etc
summary
Investigation maps the commercial stalkerware market: purchased APKs, installed samples, and VirusTotal scans across 61 AV vendors reveal detection is largely absent until Kaspersky and Lookout start flagging apps as stalkerware/spouseware. A viral tweet (≈9,400 retweets, ≈16,300 likes) generates hundreds of victim reports; many are account compromises but some are persistent RATs on Android that survive resets. Policy and legal levers exist (Wiretap Act, SCA, CFAA, FTC actions, StealthGenie guilty plea and $500k fine), and the recommended mitigation is to mark not remove so victims choose remediation.
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chapters (12)
- 0:00Introduction and keynote
- 1:07EFF and my role
- 4:27Early APT research
- 6:35Victims reach out for help
- 13:47Limits of hero model
- 16:59Spouseware industry explained
- 20:18Distinguishing stalkerware
- 23:53AV industry response
- 27:29Google PlayStore policies
- 28:10Existing laws and limits
- 33:35Other researchers and journalists
- 35:03Call to action
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