Cell phone tracked? See signs that someone is watching you

As ESET, a company specialized in proactive threat detection, warns, tracking applications and spyware continue to pose a threat to privacy.

Amid this growing concern, a crucial question arises: how do we know if our mobile device is being tracked?

Below, check out warning signs and preventative measures to maintain your digital security.

How to stay safe in the digital environment?

When downloading applications from trusted sources and avoiding clicking on suspicious links, you significantly reduce your risk of spyware.

ESET highlights the importance of adopting this practice to preserve the integrity of your device.

Image: Shutterstock/Tero Vesalainen

For users of iPhone, the jailbreaking process is a vulnerability to be considered. Tracking apps can be installed, bypassing App Store restrictions.

Pay attention to signs such as the presence of Cydia, Icy, Installer, Installous or SBSettings, which are indicative of a possible jailbreak.

Excessive data consumption may indicate the presence of a tracking.

Regularly check your data usage in the Settings menu and uninstall any unknown apps that are consuming suspiciously.

Some signs may go unnoticed, such as a battery that runs out quickly or a phone that heats up for no apparent reason.

Keep an eye out for unfamiliar apps running in the background, running slowly, and randomly activated location icons.

Text messages with incomprehensible codes may be instructions from the tracking software’s remote control. Keep an eye out for these signs in your inbox.

Also observe the behavior around you. If someone close to you acts suspiciously or shows knowledge about aspects that have not been shared, it could be a sign of tracking.

What should I do if I am being tracked?

ESET offers some best practices. Check out:

• Check your location settings regularly;
• Search for applications tracking in folders and directories;
• Use anti-malware applications for protection;
• Keep your phone software up to date;
• In case of suspicion, make a complete backup and restore to factory settings.

Camilo Gutierrez Amaya, Head of ESET Laboratory in Latin America, advises:

“In any case, if spying is suspected, you need to take precautions by making a full backup of your computer, restoring your phone to factory settings, and installing only known and trusted apps. If you are using an iPhone that may have been jailbroken without your knowledge, updating to the latest version of iOS will unjailbreak and remove any malicious software, but be sure to make a backup first.”