In an age where our smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, a post on Reddit has caused panic on social media. A user shared the picture of his phone with a picture captioned, ‘Someone has access to my phone’s screen.’ The post led to a wide range of discussions on what could be the possible reasons for the same.
How can someone get access to your phone’s screen?
Someone gaining access to your phone’s screen is more common than you might think, and it often happens through spyware, malware, or social engineering tactics. One of the primary methods is through malicious apps which are considered harmless software, which, once installed, silently monitor your screen activity and collect sensitive data. Phishing attacks also play a major role; users might unknowingly click on deceptive links or download attachments that install spyware capable of giving screen-sharing access to attackers.
When connected to unsecured public Wi-Fi, man-in-the-middle attacks can intercept data and, in some cases, mirror your screen remotely. Hackers may also exploit vulnerabilities in your phone’s operating system to gain unauthorised control. Even brief physical access to your phone, such as someone borrowing it for a few minutes can be enough to install monitoring tools or tweak settings to enable screen sharing without your knowledge. In rare but possible scenarios, Bluetooth hacking can be used by nearby attackers to tap into your device, especially if outdated software or weak settings leave your phone exposed.
‘Delete everything now’
Netizens immediately reacted to the post. A user said, “immediately delete empty folder remover and report it in the play store.” Another added, “Download my empty folder remover to help you with removing it.” “what the hell kinda app did you install,” asked a netizen. “God my neighbour does this. She comes to me like once a month complaining about how her phone doesn’t work. The screen goes white or some popup comes on that you can’t close. 100% of the time it’s some “phone cleaner” that she installed,” explained another.
” Most devices are required to have screen readers now for the visually impaired. But it should be a seperate permission in the app; don’t agree to the screen reader permission if you don’t need it. Particularly if it also has the “access SMS” permission, then they can read your 2FA texts,” claimed a user. “Factory reset phone. Don’t download stupid apps that claim to speed up your phone – they NEVER do,” advised a user.