How to Hack Phones, How to Detect and How to Remove Phone Spy Software?

Hack someone's phone using spy software

Spy software is necessary to access what you cannot access physically or through conversational means. Parents, spouses, and employers are the prime users of spy apps. A person will install a spy app to monitor and track a target device. Efficient spy apps can monitor call history, text messages, social media chats, location, browser history, exchanged media files, and emails on a target device. A parent will install a spy app to exercise parental control while a spouse will use it to monitor their spouse and know if they are cheating. Employees become a threat to company progress by engaging in unethical things such as insider trading. Even with all the legitimate reasons to install and use spy apps, the targeted persons will not like it. The good thing is spy software is detectable. If you suspect that your partner, parent, or employer is spying on you, this article will educate you on how to know your phone is being spied on and how to detect and remove Android&iOS phone spy software.

How do others hack and tap your Android&iOS phone using other methods?

Fake apps

Like spyware, fake apps appear normal but secretly collect your data from your device. Those apps will ask for a lot of permissions on your iPhone/Android when you install them. Some of them may even open backdoors to hackers. If you have those apps on your phone, it may run in the background all the time, gather and sync your data to malicious server.

Phishing attacks

Phishing attacks are one of the most common forms of social engineering attacks. According to 2023 phishing statistics, each phishing attack results in an average loss of $136. These attacks often involve forging links that resemble official websites and tricking users into providing important information, such as credit card numbers.

Bluetooth hacking

There are various types of Bluetooth hacking, including BlueBorne, Bluebugging, Bluetooth impersonation attacks, and Bluesnarfing. Compared to other hacking methods, Bluetooth hacking requires a higher level of technical knowledge, and the devices involved need to be in close range of each other. As a result, it's not as common as phishing attacks.

How to Know If Your Phone Is Being Spied

The Phone Screen Wakes up Automatically

When spy software is installed on your iPhone/Android, the phone screen auto-lights without your prompt to open the screen from sleep mode. This is because the spyware is active in the background. It is not always spyware that could wake your Android&iOS device sleep automatically. Other app notifications cause such actions. Always check your settings first to confirm.

The Battery Keeps Draining on Standby

Power draining is caused by heavy user apps installed or running in the background. Such apps can be social media apps or gaming apps. But if you have none of this on your phone and you note high battery consumption without phone activity, that means there is a spy app on your phone consuming data to run active spying.

Increased Data Consumption

You can access your normal data consumption report through the data usage analysis on the data usage section on your phone. When data usage spikes out of nowhere without an action that will prompt such usage, you should look out for installed spy software on your iPhone/Android. Spying and transmitting spy data will consume high amounts of data.

Odd Sounds During a Call

Beeping or screeching during a phone call indicates that your calls are being listened to through a spy app. If your mobile phone has no earpiece, mouthpiece, or speaker problems, any funny sounds during a call are an indication of spyware presence on your device.

Shutting Down Takes Time

A phone should shut down within a few seconds of the shutdown prompt. iPhone/Android with spyware will take more than 1 minute to shut down while behaving like they are hanging. This behavior is a result of spyware installed trying to back up spied data and transmit a spy report to the control panel. Try shutting your phone down your phone to observe how it behaves. Any prolonged shutting down indicates the presence of spyware.

Part 2. How to Protect Your Cell Phone Against Spy Software

Use Passwords and Two-Step Verifications

Have you been prompted to set a strong password when setting up an account such as an email? This prompt is because strong passwords are hard to hack. When you have a strong password, third-party malicious apps like spyware cannot bypass such a password to invade your privacy. Two-step verification prompts you to access your device or account with two steps in password entry. First, you enter your password, then you are asked to confirm that before you successfully log in. Confirming your password can be done through authentication apps, email, or phone numbers. A code is sent to you via email or text message. When you enter the sent digit code you are successfully logged into your device or account. The authentication app generates a code that you can key into your device or account.

Don't Root or Jailbreak Your Phone

Rooting your phone is installing apps that allow administrator privileges that do not traditionally come with your phone. Rooting is done on Android devices. The Android operating system blocks or limits some features for security purposes. To jailbreak your phone is to install apps outside the apple store or google play store. When this happens, you expose your phone to spyware because once a device is rooted or jailbroken, it is easier to bypass security and install the spyware. Third-party malicious software can access your passwords, files, and other sensitive information. The advantages of rooting or jailbreaking your Android/iOS device cannot equate to the damage. Do not jailbreak or root your device.

Install Antispyware Software

Antispyware software is a secure way to protect your Android&iOS device from spy software. Once you install antispyware software, your cell phone blocks malicious third-party applications like spy apps.

Don't Use Public Wi-Fi

Spy apps track you using public Wi-Fi. When you log into public Wi-Fi, a spy app will receive your phone data and activity. Public Wi-Fi lacks the necessary security steps to protect your device against malicious apps like spy apps. Public Wi-Fi has become the common target point for spy apps to access target devices to spy.

Never Click on Random Links and Download Files

When someone wants to install spy software on your phone without physical access to your phone, sending you links that will prompt you to click and install the software unknowingly is a common trick they use to access your phone and install the spy software. To protect your phone from spyware do not click on links sent to your social media, email, or messages. Don't open any link unless it is one you are familiar with or were expecting.

Part 3. Best Parental Control App-SpyX

For parents, they want to protect their children from inappropriate content, predators. So, they need a great phone tracker for Android&iOS that can't be detected. SpyX is such a hidden Android&iOS monitoring app that can be used to track messages, photos, GPS locations, social media chats. No need to install app on the target phone, no jailbreak, no root. SpyX enables parents to spy on children's phone remotely without anyone knowing. And the whole process is also very simple. Just follow the steps to track children's phone with SpyX.

Step 1. Create a free account with valid email/Google account.

Step 2. Connect kid's iPhone/Android with SpyX.

Step 4. Go to SpyX Dashboard and view kid's phone activities.

Part 4. Conclusion

To protect yourself from spyware or know if your phone is spied infested on or whether your phone has spy software, learn new technology trends to be one step ahead and observe abnormal patterns on your iPhone/Android. Combining knowledge and caution will protect you from crazy people trying to spy on you. The secret lies in knowing and staying woke.

FAQs

Q1. How to remove any spyware by restoring your Android to its factory settings?

Go to Settings.

Select Backup and reset.

Select Factory data reset.

Tap Reset phone.

Confirm your action by typing your PIN or password.

Decide if you wish your phone to restore from backup or start fresh.

Q2. Is there a way to detect spyware on your phone?

You can find traces of spyware activities by looking through the phone settings app on your Android/iOS phone. Launch the Settings app. Click on Apps or Applications, depending on the terminology your device uses.

Q3. How do I block my phone from being tracked?

On Android: Open the App Drawer, go into Settings, select Location, and then enter Google Location Settings. Here, you can turn off Location Reporting and Location History.

Q4. How can you find a hidden camera on a cell phone?

Yes, your cell phone can detect a hidden camera. All you need to do is download a hidden camera detector app. Once you have the app installed, simply open it and scan the area for any hidden cameras. The app will then alert you if any cameras are found.

Q5. How do I disable hidden cameras?

Tape, spackle or caulk over any drill holes containing hidden listening devices. If you get lucky and find a wired power source for a hidden recording gadget, simply unplugging it may be enough to stop it from recording.