Spyware and malware availability sparks surge in internet stalking

Source: The Guardian

Saturday 28 February 2015 22.35 GMT

Domestic violence experts have warned that the use of specialist technology that enables abusers to stalk victims online and via mobile phones is growing at an alarming rate.

A series of parliamentary answers has revealed that, in the 12 months up to April 2014, police received 10,731 reports of computers being compromised by spyware and malware (malicious software). Both can be used by abusers to gather information from someone’s computer or phone. They can allow abusers to view documents, photographs or passwords – and even turn on a device’s camera or microphone. Mobile spyware can also reveal a person’s location.

The real number of victims is likely to be considerably higher. “As most victims are unaware that they are being watched or are too scared to come forward, the real number of incidents could be up to 10 times that,” said Harry Fletcher, criminal justice director of the Digital-Trust, a new charity set up to help victims of cyber abuse.

The trust says it sees new technology being used frequently in cases of domestic violence, divorce, custody battles and stalking and warns that the practice is becoming “commonplace”. Other experts agree. “My research shows that over 50% of the time digital abuse is used within domestic violence,” said Dr Emma Short of the Cyberstalking Research Centre.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/28/spyware-malware-surge-internet-stalking-digital-trust-gps