Chennai: One of the boons of this new age is technology. Be it buying movie tickets, train tickets, or even groceries, it can all be done with the click of a mouse or swiping one’s finger on the screen. Needless to say, it has made the work of womenfolk easy. But did you know that many women are prone to cyber hacking without their knowledge? In spite of one having the latest security features installed in their phone, they fall victims to hackers.
Recently, a youngster arrested for selling videos of women, was handed over to the police by his own relatives after he committed the crime against his sister. Dinesh Kumar, hailing from Ramanathapuram, said he installed an app in the phones of unsuspecting girls and watched them through their phone camera without their knowledge.
Talking to ‘News Today’, Vinod, a cyber hacker based in the city, says that women can be photographed or videographed without their knowledge and that data can be sold online to porn sites and miscreants mint money out of it. Or sometimes, they target women and extort money from them.
“Some girls are courageous and notify the police and cyber team, but some give in to their demands or commit suicide. It is not the woman’s fault, because many do not know technology can be manipulated,” he adds.
WHAT IS THE APP?
The app is called Track View. Founded to keep an eye on your family or belongings, the app was invented to make sure that no thefts happened in your absence.
LENDER’S WOE
Dinesh, who constantly checked up on women, would ask for their mobile to make a call pretending that his phone had low balance or was switched off. He would make a call to his own number and later instal the app. It can even be hidden from the icons in the phone. He gets to operate the girl’s camera from his mobile without her knowledge.
HOW IT WORKS
Track View also called Family Locator and Monitor was fashioned to make a check on toddlers and property in one’s absence. You can see and hear without letting them know. When the app is installed, it automatically syncs with another gadget – be it a phone or tab – without being known to them. Hackers use this opportunity to videograph or take pictures of women. They can also operate the flash, make calls, etc. Even if you delete the app from your phone, hackers can still access your details, because your number is with them.
BEAT IT
Many apps get installed only after the person clicks the ‘Allow’ button. It makes the user vulnerable and the app operators will have access to their photos, videos, files, contacts, music, etc. Many apps are like this. To avoid this, before installing an app, read about it online or pre-play the app’s features. This will help you avoid unwanted trouble. And also be cautious when you hand over your phone to a stranger.
