Stalkerware Showdown: Android Antivirus Apps Battle Bugs in 2025!
The EFF and AV Comparatives find stalkerware detection still a mixed bag. In 2025, Malwarebytes hit the bullseye, detecting 100% of stalkerware products. Meanwhile, Google Play Protect seemed to take a nap, catching just 53%. Despite fewer stalkerware products, it’s still a cat-and-mouse game for anti-virus apps.
Hot Take:
Once again, our digital lives are the Wild West, and stalkerware is the sneaky outlaw slipping through the cracks. With anti-virus programs playing sheriff, some are gunning down these baddies with precision, while others are about as useful as a chocolate teapot. So, saddle up, because keeping your data safe is still a full-time rodeo!
Key Points:
- Malwarebytes stands as the top gun, detecting 100% of tested stalkerware.
- ESET, Bitdefender, McAfee, and Kaspersky are close seconds, missing only one sneaky app.
- Google Play Protect and Trend Micro are flunking the detection test with rates of 53% and 59%, respectively.
- The number of unique stalkerware apps has decreased from 2020 to 2025, possibly due to increased regulatory attention.
- Alternative tracking devices like Apple AirTags might be stealing the limelight from traditional stalkerware.
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