A woman, trying to get out of an abusive relationship, goes online to buy plane tickets for herself and her two small children, and then she sends an e-mail to a friend about her plan to leave. As she works to clandestinely put things in order, she doesn't recognize her husband has installed spyware onto the computer and will soon know everything she's planning to do.
It's a scenario that security professionals and social workers say is happening more and more often. And this week, a McAfee investigator is meeting with domestic abuse advocates to help them fight the increasingly use of technology in abuse and stalking cases.
As high-tech tools become more and more present in our everyday lives, abusers and stalkers are increasingly using them to track and intimidate their victims, said Cindy Southworth, director and founder of the Safety Net Project, an organization working to end domestic violence. Making women and men -- as well as law enforcement -- aware of the tools that could be used against victims is an important step in protecting them.
Southworth said a week doesn't go by that they don't hear about spyware being used in a domestic abuse case. Abusers also are hacking into victims' e-mail accounts, while also using cell phones to send threatening text messages, GPS devices to track the victims' vehicles, and keyloggers.
Dang offered tips for people who find themselves in a situation where they think someone might be capable of using technology to stalk or abuse them: Everyone, regardless of their present situation, should have security software, including antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewalls, installed on their computers;
If a victim finds that an abuser has installed spyware on a computer, it should not be removed. That would let the abuser know that the victim is onto him/her, and it also should be retained to be used as evidence at trial; If a victim is going to buy tickets or do research about domestic abuse shelters or divorce laws, do it from a public computer, such as those at a library or an Internet cafe;
Spyware has become more sophisticated, so it's often difficult to tell if it's installed on a computer. Victims should be suspicious if their abuser has knowledge of private online conversations or unexpectedly shows up at a location where the victim planned to be. )
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