The Criminal Indictment That Could Finally Hit Spyware Makers Hard | WIRED
The indictment this week of the man behind an app designed for surreptitiously monitoring cellphone activity is only the second federal case filed against someone involved in the commercial sale of so-called spyware and stalkingware. But the case could have negative implications for others who make and sell similar snooping tools, experts hope.
The case involves StealthGenie, a spy app for iPhones, Android phones and Blackberry devices that until last week was marketed primarily to people who suspected their spouse or lover of cheating on them but it also could be used by stalkers or perpetrators of domestic violence to track victims. The app secretly recorded phone calls and siphoned text messages and other data from a target’s phone, all of which customers of the software could view online until the government succeeded to temporarily close the Virginia-based site (.pdf) that hosted the stolen data.
via The Criminal Indictment That Could Finally Hit Spyware Makers Hard | WIRED.