Towards Stalkerware Detection with Precise Warnings

Han, Yufei; Roundy, Kevin A.; Tamersoy, Acar

doi:10.1145/3485832.3485901

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…Also related, but orthogonal, is work focused on identifying and detecting spyware apps, both industrial reports listing such apps [18,19,92] and academic efforts to characterize and build detection algorithms for them [3,89,[93][94][95][96][97][98][99][100]. Yet another related body of work examines spyware apps' presence in different contexts such as intimate partner violence and cyberstalking [4,[101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111][112].…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

No Privacy Among Spies: Assessing the Functionality and Insecurity of Consumer Android Spyware Apps

Liu

Rao

Havron

et al. 2023

PoPETs

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Consumer mobile spyware apps covertly monitor a user's activities (i.e., text messages, phone calls, e-mail, location, etc.) and transmit that information over the Internet to support remote surveillance. Unlike conceptually similar apps used for state espionage, so-called "stalkerware" apps are mass-marketed to consumers on a retail basis and expose a far broader range of victims to invasive monitoring. Today the market for such apps is large enough to support dozens of competitors, with individual vendors reportedly monitoring hundreds of thousands of phones. However, while the research community is well aware of the existence of such apps, our understanding of the mechanisms they use to operate remains ad hoc. In this work, we perform an in-depth technical analysis of 14 distinct leading mobile spyware apps targeting Android phones. We document the range of mechanisms used to monitor user activity of various kinds (e.g., photos, text messages, live microphone access) — primarily through the creative abuse of Android APIs. We also discover previously undocumented methods these apps use to hide from detection and to achieve persistence. Additionally, we document the measures taken by each app to protect the privacy of the sensitive data they collect, identifying a range of failings on the part of spyware vendors (including privacy-sensitive data sent in the clear or stored in the cloud with little or no protection).

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Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

No Privacy Among Spies: Assessing the Functionality and Insecurity of Consumer Android Spyware Apps

Liu

Rao

Havron

et al. 2023

PoPETs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These applications, also known as stalkerware or spyware, can monitor and track the victim's activities, including their messages, calls, online interactions, locations, screen mirroring, video and audio recording, and so on [86]. Han et al [87] developed a system named Dosmelt, that provides warnings about stalkerwares. It uses active learning in a semisupervised learning algorithm that does not require extensive expert labelling of the data.…”

Section: Tackling Domestic Violence With Anti-stalking and Monitoring...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Anti-stalking Measure Bluetooth/GPS tracking Suspicious Bluetooth device detection [84,85] Mobile-applicationbased stalking Spyware detection software [86][87][88] Cyberstalking (social media)…”

Section: Stalking Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Technological Innovations for Tackling Domestic Violence

Kouzani

2023

IEEE Access

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Domestic violence is an issue of great importance that transcends socioeconomic backgrounds and cultural boundaries. It stems from factors such as power struggle, mental health issue, financial hardship, substance abuse, among others. Technology can play a vital role in not only detecting and mitigating instances of domestic violence, but also providing essential support and resources to its victims. This review paper examines the latest technological innovations in tackling domestic violence. It describes a range of technology platforms and tools, and discusses their capabilities and shortcomings. Firstly, the review methodology is given including aims and objectives of the review, search strategy, and selection of sources. Next, technological innovations in the context of domestic violence are defined. Then, the paper presents technological approaches developed to tackle domestic violence through: (i) analysis of data shared through digital platforms is presented, (ii) analysis of data captured by ambient sensors, (iii) analysis of data captured by smartphones, (iv) analysis of data captured by wearable sensors, (v) protecting online activities, (vi) preventing non-contact harassment, (vii) anti-stalking and monitoring measures, and (viii) virtual reality approaches. Next, discussions on the capabilities and applications of these technological innovations across different aspects of domestic violence are presented. The paper also addresses the challenges and limitations associated with these innovations, and gives future directions and recommendations for further research and development.

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“…Attacker spyware can be installed on a user's phone, allowing the attacker to monitor activity, access information, and even listen in on conversations [24]. However, the 2FHA system is resistant to this type of spyware because, even if the attacker is able to read the OTPs sent to the user's phone, they will not be able to determine which OTP is the correct one among the false ones.…”

Section: Stalkerwarementioning

confidence: 99%

A Novel Authentication Method That Combines Honeytokens and Google Authenticator

et al. 2023

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Despite the rapid development of technology, computer systems still rely heavily on passwords for security, which can be problematic. Although multi-factor authentication has been introduced, it is not completely effective against more advanced attacks. To address this, this study proposes a new two-factor authentication method that uses honeytokens. Honeytokens and Google Authenticator are combined to create a stronger authentication process. The proposed approach aims to provide additional layers of security and protection to computer systems, increasing their overall security beyond what is currently provided by single-password or standard two-factor authentication methods. The key difference is that the proposed system resembles a two-factor authentication but, in reality, works like a multi-factor authentication system. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security technique that verifies a user’s identity by requiring multiple credentials from distinct categories. These typically include knowledge factors (something the user knows, such as a password or PIN), possession factors (something the user has, such as a mobile phone or security token), and inherence factors (something the user is, such as a biometric characteristic like a fingerprint). This multi-tiered approach significantly enhances protection against potential attacks. We examined and evaluated our system’s robustness against various types of attacks. From the user’s side, the system is as friendly as a two-factor authentication method with an authenticator and is more secure.

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Towards Stalkerware Detection with Precise Warnings

Cited by 6 publications

References 46 publications

No Privacy Among Spies: Assessing the Functionality and Insecurity of Consumer Android Spyware Apps

No Privacy Among Spies: Assessing the Functionality and Insecurity of Consumer Android Spyware Apps

Technological Innovations for Tackling Domestic Violence

A Novel Authentication Method That Combines Honeytokens and Google Authenticator

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