Scientist talks about signs of surveillance from smartphones and laptops

Slowing down of devices may signal espionage

Associate Professor of the Department of Informatics at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Alexander Timofeev, stated that some changes in the operation of smartphones and laptops may indicate that devices are spying on their owners.

According to Timofeev, the problem arises from the permissions to use microphones and cameras that users grant to many applications, even those that do not require such functions. If spyware or malware gets on the device, this can lead to noticeable malfunctions in its operation.

The most likely sign of surveillance or the presence of a virus is a slowdown in the operation of any functions and the device as a whole. Frequent freezes for no reason can also be a signal. If the camera light comes on by itself, it is clear that it is working against your will
Alexander Timofeev, Associate Professor of the Department of Informatics at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

Timofeev recommends that users carefully monitor the condition of their devices. For example, iPhone has power-on indicators: green for the camera and orange for the microphone. You can check who and when connected to them using internal tools. If there is confirmation of suspicions, it is better to reset the gadget to factory settings.

Read more materials:

Now on home