SAN DIEGO – The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recently received reports related to the fraudulent advertisement and selling of StealthGenie, a mobile device spyware application that is alleged to illegally intercept wire and electronic communications made using mobile phones.
StealthGenie’s CEO Hammad Akbar was indicted and arrested for selling the spyware coincides with disabling the website hosting StealthGenie and its associated online portal.
Hammad Akbar, 31, from Lehoro, Pakistan is the head of InvoCode, the software company behind StealthGenie, an app that allows users to monitor anyone’s activities by tracking the texts, calls, photos, videos, emails, calendars and all the contents of their smartphones, according to Tech Times.
Prosecutors say purchases will have to gain physical access to the device they want to track but, once installed, the app goes undetected, Tech Times reported.
Mobile Device Spyware Apps
Mobile device spyware apps are developed for smart mobile phones and may allow a purchaser of the app to, amongst other things, surreptitiously monitor a phone user’s communications and whereabouts, FBI officials said.
The purchaser must generally have physical access to a target mobile phone to install a mobile device spyware app, which is usually downloaded to the phone.
Each phone software platform, such as Apple Inc.’s, iOs and Google Inc.’s Android, require specific steps to complete the installation process.
How StealthGenie Works
The StealthGenie app works in so-called “stealth” mode and is undetectable by most individuals. It is advertised as being untraceable.
According to the indictment against StealthGenie’s CEO, StealthGenie’s capabilities include the following:
- Call Recording: Records all incoming/outgoing voice calls or those specified by the purchaser of the app.
- Call Interception: Allows the purchaser to intercept calls on the phone to be monitored while they take place, without the knowledge of the monitored smartphone user.
- Recorded Surroundings: Allows the purchaser to call the phone and activate it at any time to monitor all surrounding conversations within a 15-foot radius without the knowledge of the user.
- Electronic Mail: Allows the purchaser to monitor the incoming and outgoing e-mail messages of user, read their saved drafts, and view attachments.
- SMS: Allows the purchaser to monitor the user’s incoming and outgoing SMS messages.
- Voicemail: Allows the purchaser to monitor the incoming voicemail messages.
- Contacts: Allows the purchaser to monitor the entries in the user’s address book
- Photos: Allows the purchaser to monitor the photos on the user’s phone.
- Videos: Allows the purchaser to monitor the videos on the user’s phone.
- Appointments: Allows the purchaser to monitor the user’s calendar entries.
- The purchaser can review information transferred from the target mobile phone via an online portal. These intercepted communications are stored on the StealthGenie website.
For example, a purchaser can log in to the online portal to access information pulled from the user’s phone such as messages, e-mail, photos, and phone calls.
How to Detect a Mobile Device Spyware App
Mobile device spyware apps are developed and advertised as being invisible to targets and act in an undetectable manner. For example, an app can be installed to look like another type of app or file, such as a digital photo application. Therefore, it will be difficult for the non-expert user to determine whether or not spyware is on his or her phone.
Certain companies market apps and other products that will scan a phone for malicious software.
Private computer forensic companies can physically perform similar scans.
If a user is concerned about the potential presence of a mobile device spyware app on their phone, the only way to ensure that any app is permanently removed from the phone is to perform a “factory reset,” as described immediately below.
How To Remove a Mobile Device Spyware
If you believe your phone may contain a mobile device spyware app, the best option is to conduct a “factory reset” of the phone. When a reset takes place, the phone is restored to its original condition.
Please be advised that this means any and all data and apps installed after purchase will be removed from the phone, including all stored information, so back-up data.
To learn more about cyber security threats and scams please visit the FBI’s Cyber Crime section at www.fbi.gov or IC3.gov.