MRMCD 2019

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The creep in your pocket
2019-09-13 , Mayfair
Language: English

Mobile spyware/stalkerware services offer common users to spy on mobile devices of people close to them, such as their children or spouses. This talk presents different types of these services and touches their social impact.


The talk focuses on android and iOS spyware that do not require rooting or jailbreaking the victim's device. During the talk I will also show how Android spyware apps misuse Android OS features to spy on
victims and hide themselves on their devices. Additionally, I will discuss the legal side of these services, as well as their social impact, such as domestic violence.

Moreover, I will present several data breaches of these services. After giving recommendations on how to detect such services and protect against them, I will display a python tool I made, which queries the installed apps on an Android device and gives recommendations on whether they might be malicious.

Ahmad Abolhadid is a IT Security Analyst currently working with ERNW, focusing on mobile security.