"Stalkerware Detection Rates Are Improving Across Antivirus Products"

In a new research project that was carried out by Electronic Frontier Foundation and by independent antivirus testing lab AV-Comparatives, the researchers found that detection rates for stalkerware applications on Android and Windows devices are slowly improving.  In the study, the researchers tested 10 Android mobile antivirus apps and 10 Windows antivirus products.  Stalkerware is a category of spyware, a type of malware that can be used to spy on people. Stalkerware is often advertised online as legitimate software and is easily accessible, rather than being sold on hacker forums and shadowy online chats like spyware.  Stalkerware often uses misleading generic process names or hides its shortcuts and app icons to track the user unnoticed. In recent years, domestic abuse organizations have warned about the increasing number of domestic violence cases where stalkerware has been involved.  In November, Android mobile antivirus apps were able to detect stalkerware between 30 and 95 percent of the time, with two products detecting less than 50 percent of the test cases.  Windows antivirus products, overall detection rates in November were worse than products on Android.  The highest detection rate for Windows antivirus products was only 70 percent, and only two products reached that level.  In May, they retested the Android mobile antivirus apps and found that 9 out of 10 of the products detected between 75 percent and 95 percent of the test cases, which is an improvement from November.  The researches also retested the Windows antivirus products and found that all Windows antivirus products had improved their detection rates to at least 70 percent, with four programs reaching 100 percent.  

ZDNet reports: "Stalkerware Detection Rates Are Improving Across Antivirus Products"