[Abhnv]

If someone installed any SPY APP or KIND OF SPY APP on my Android phone. Then whether that spy app will be shown in the list of installed apps list from settings or it would be hidden everywhere in the phone?

[B. Diddy]

If someone was savvy enough to install a spyware app on your phone, they're probably also savvy enough to know how to hide it from you. Why do you think someone installed spyware on your phone?

[Abhnv]

If someone was savvy enough to install a spyware app on your phone, they're probably also savvy enough to know how to hide it from you. Why do you think someone installed spyware on your phone?

Ok I got your point. So that spy app will not be even shown up in Google activity?

[B. Diddy]

It's always possible, depending on the spyware app. But remember that your Google activity will show lots of diffferent apps, many of which are obscure system apps. You'll worry yourself to death wondering if some techy-sounding app you've never seen before on your phone is spyware or not. The real question here is why you're concerned about spyware. Did you recently install any shady apps, or visit any shady sites? Does someone seem to know all of your activity? Keep in mind that it can be very easy these days for bad guys to know a lot about a person based on everything shared on social media. So if you're posting tons of pics from your current vacation, and a thief already knows your address from publicly available information, then they know that nobody's home, and will help themselves to your stuff.

Here's my usual spiel on malware:

For the most part, it's still quite difficult to get an actual virus on your phone, because malware requires you to manually accept the installation (which is why they try to fool you into thinking you're installing something legitimate). Use common sense:


1. Avoid shady websites that deal with things like porn, gambling, and "free" (aka pirated) apps/music/movies.


2. Never ever tap on a link that appears in a popup while browsing, especially if they're warning you that your phone is infected -- they're just trying to scare you into installing some bogus "antivirus" app that is probably malicious itself.


3. Only install apps from well-established app sources like Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore. Read a bunch of app reviews before installing an app to look for any complaints about adware or suspected malware.


4. Turn on Google Play Protect features in Settings>Google>Security. This allows Google to periodically scan your phone's apps to look for malware.


5. Turn off "Unknown Sources" in Settings>Security. This prevents any app that wasn't obtained from Google Play Store from being installed (which could include malicious apps that are inadvertently downloaded).

[Abhnv]

It's always possible, depending on the spyware app. But remember that your Google activity will show lots of diffferent apps, many of which are obscure system apps. You'll worry yourself to death wondering if some techy-sounding app you've never seen before on your phone is spyware or not. The real question here is why you're concerned about spyware. Did you recently install any shady apps, or visit any shady sites? Does someone seem to know all of your activity? Keep in mind that it can be very easy these days for bad guys to know a lot about a person based on everything shared on social media. So if you're posting tons of pics from your current vacation, and a thief already knows your address from publicly available information, then they know that nobody's home, and will help themselves to your stuff.

Here's my usual spiel on malware:

For the most part, it's still quite difficult to get an actual virus on your phone, because malware requires you to manually accept the installation (which is why they try to fool you into thinking you're installing something legitimate). Use common sense:


1. Avoid shady websites that deal with things like porn, gambling, and "free" (aka pirated) apps/music/movies.


2. Never ever tap on a link that appears in a popup while browsing, especially if they're warning you that your phone is infected -- they're just trying to scare you into installing some bogus "antivirus" app that is probably malicious itself.


3. Only install apps from well-established app sources like Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore. Read a bunch of app reviews before installing an app to look for any complaints about adware or suspected malware.


4. Turn on Google Play Protect features in Settings>Google>Security. This allows Google to periodically scan your phone's apps to look for malware.


5. Turn off "Unknown Sources" in Settings>Security. This prevents any app that wasn't obtained from Google Play Store from being installed (which could include malicious apps that are inadvertently downloaded).

Yeah actually I clicked on a link on stranger chatting site send by anonymous asking for her pic but there opened nothing . But after that incident I found some weird behaviour of my phone

[B. Diddy]

What kind of weird behavior? If you can't find any unusual or unrecognized apps in your app list, it might be a good idea to a backup your important data, then do a factory reset. When you set the phone up again, don't restore from a previous system backup. Set the phone up as a new device, and then restore your backed up data afterwards. Don't let any app automatically reinstall -- install them manually yourself.

[Mr Segundus]

It depends what you call a "spy app". Google tracks everything we do on our phones. Are they considered a "spy app"?

[Abhnv]

What kind of weird behavior? If you can't find any unusual or unrecognized apps in your app list, it might be a good idea to a backup your important data, then do a factory reset. When you set the phone up again, don't restore from a previous system backup. Set the phone up as a new device, and then restore your backed up data afterwards. Don't let any app automatically reinstall -- install them manually yourself.

When I clicked on that link it opened nothing but after 1 day when I downloading a pic from Twitter on Chrome browser it says permission or access denied and after 2-3 days then after 2-3 days there is the problem of screen overlay detected suddenly.
So I thought is my phone hacked by that individual?

[B. Diddy]

When you tried to download that pic, was it the first time you had tried in a while? Go to Settings>Apps and select Chrome, then Permissions. Is Storage permission turned on?

Screen Overlay can happen with other legitimate apps: https://www.howtogeek.com/271519/how...or-on-android/

[Abhnv]

When you tried to download that pic, was it the first time you had tried in a while? Go to Settings>Apps and select Chrome, then Permissions. Is Storage permission turned on?

Screen Overlay can happen with other legitimate apps: https://www.howtogeek.com/271519/how...or-on-android/

No not the first time that's y I get tensed.
Is that indication of hacked phone?

[Abhnv]

When you tried to download that pic, was it the first time you had tried in a while? Go to Settings>Apps and select Chrome, then Permissions. Is Storage permission turned on?

Screen Overlay can happen with other legitimate apps: https://www.howtogeek.com/271519/how...or-on-android/

That screen overlay link which u send is saying that it happens when new app installed but I didn't install any new app that time though I updated Chrome browser that time

[Abhnv]

It depends what you call a "spy app". Google tracks everything we do on our phones. Are they considered a "spy app"?

No I am referring to spy apps which installed by any individual

[B. Diddy]

No not the first time that's y I get tensed.
Is that indication of hacked phone?

So is Storage permission turned on for Chrome or not?

If you're really worried, then backup your important data and do a factory reset. Make sure you set the phone up as a new phone, and don't allow any app to automatically reinstall -- manually install your apps by yourself, and do it one by one, rather than all at once.

[methodman89]

Yeah actually I clicked on a link on stranger chatting site send by anonymous asking for her pic but there opened nothing . But after that incident I found some weird behaviour of my phone

Clicked on a link from a chat room on your phone = bad idea. Great advice above. You should probably add a paid version of Norton, etc.

[Abhnv]

So is Storage permission turned on for Chrome or not?

If you're really worried, then backup your important data and do a factory reset. Make sure you set the phone up as a new phone, and don't allow any app to automatically reinstall -- manually install your apps by yourself, and do it one by one, rather than all at once.

Will my sim card also get affected by spyware?
Can I use that sim card further or not?

[Abhnv]

Clicked on a link from a chat room on your phone = bad idea. Great advice above. You should probably add a paid version of Norton, etc.

I know that it was an bad idea that's why I am worried

[B. Diddy]

Asking for a 3rd time -- is storage permission turned on for Chrome? Trying to determine if this might be the reason you're having trouble downloading pics from Twitter on Chrome.

[Abhnv]

Asking for a 3rd time -- is storage permission turned on for Chrome? Trying to determine if this might be the reason you're having trouble downloading pics from Twitter on Chrome.

Sorry for being late.
No previously I didn't have any problem for downloading any pic from Twitter it happened only that day for the first time before that I have downloaded many times from Twitter so I didn't switch off the permission for storage

[B. Diddy]

I realize that you didn't manually turn off Storage permission, but odd things can happen -- maybe the permission turned off by itself for some reason. Just to be sure, go to Settings>Apps, select Chrome, then tap Permissions, and see if Storage is on or off.

[Abhnv]

I realize that you didn't manually turn off Storage permission, but odd things can happen -- maybe the permission turned off by itself for some reason. Just to be sure, go to Settings>Apps, select Chrome, then tap Permissions, and see if Storage is on or off.

Actually I didn't remember right now bcz I immediately factory reset my phone afterwards things become normal so didn't check that from settings. Sorry for that

[B. Diddy]

No problem, glad it's working normally now. Let us know if the problem comes back!

[Abhnv]

No problem, glad it's working normally now. Let us know if the problem comes back!

Thanks!
But do you think that downloading problem plus the problem of "screen overlay detected" showing even I didn't download any app
Indication of hacked phone?

[B. Diddy]

Probably not. Perhaps an app update introduced some new screen overlay functionality. Or maybe an app just started to glitch, or became corrupt.

[Abhnv]

Probably not. Perhaps an app update introduced some new screen overlay functionality. Or maybe an app just started to glitch, or became corrupt.

Ok thanks
One more thing i wanna ask , may I?

[B. Diddy]

Sure, go ahead.