Kaspersky Warns of Rising Tech-Enabled Abuse Through Stalking and Doxing Attacks
Kaspersky has warned of the growing risks of technology-enabled abuse, revealing that digital stalking and doxing incidents are becoming increasingly widespread as cybercriminals and abusers exploit advanced surveillance tools and online platforms to target victims.
The warning comes as part of a new global report released by Kaspersky, which found that 8.5% of surveyed respondents had experienced digital stalking, while 5.4% reported being victims of doxing — the malicious exposure of personal information online.
The report highlights how technology-enabled abuse has evolved into a broader category of digital harm encompassing cyberstalking, online harassment, impersonation, unauthorized monitoring, and abuse facilitated through smartphones, social media platforms, and connected digital devices.
According to the study, many victims often fail to recognize these behaviors as abuse because they are deeply embedded within everyday digital communication and frequently leave no visible physical evidence.
Leonie Maria Tanczer, Associate Professor at University College London and Head of the university’s Gender and Tech Research Lab, said the absence of a clear global framework for defining technology-enabled abuse remains one of the key challenges in addressing the issue.
“Technology-enabled abuse is still not widely recognised as a distinct category of harm, in part because there is no shared understanding of what it includes,” Tanczer said. “This lack of clarity means many experiences go unnamed, unreported, and unsupported.”
Kaspersky’s Digital Footprint Intelligence team also identified a growing underground ecosystem on dark web forums offering doxing services and digital surveillance tools.
According to the company, prices for illegal doxing services currently range from $50 to $4,000, while increasingly sophisticated stalkerware applications are being promoted to enable covert surveillance of victims.
Stalkerware refers to software or applications secretly installed on a victim’s mobile device to monitor personal activities, including web browsing, geolocation, text messages, photos, voice calls, and other sensitive information without the victim’s knowledge.
Kaspersky disclosed that it identified 33 previously unseen stalkerware families during 2024 and 2025, highlighting continued development activity in the cyber surveillance landscape.
Affected users were detected across more than 160 countries worldwide.
Tatyana Shishkova, Lead Security Researcher and Acting Head of Research Center Americas & Europe at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team, said stalkerware tools remain dangerously accessible to the public.
“Stalkerware can be easily downloaded and installed by anyone with an internet connection, allowing perpetrators to remotely access a victim’s smartphone from anywhere,” Shishkova said.
She warned that most victims remain completely unaware their devices are being monitored because such software typically operates invisibly in the background.
Kaspersky emphasized that growing risks associated with cyberstalking and digital surveillance have prompted stronger international cooperation efforts, noting that the company is among the co-founders of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, an international alliance bringing together technology companies, NGOs, research institutions, and law enforcement agencies to combat cyberstalking and support victims of digital abuse.
As part of its recommendations, Kaspersky advised users to rely on trusted cybersecurity solutions capable of detecting suspicious monitoring applications and unauthorized Bluetooth tracking devices.
The company also warned victims against immediately deleting suspected stalkerware, noting that abrupt removal could alert perpetrators and potentially escalate risks.
Among the warning signs highlighted in the report are rapid battery drain, unexplained mobile data usage, unfamiliar installed applications, and enabled “Unknown Sources” installation settings on Android devices.
Kaspersky additionally encouraged victims to seek support through specialized organizations and to use secure, trusted devices when searching for help or communicating about abuse situations.
The cybersecurity company will also participate in the international Tech Abuse Conference hosted by UCL in London from May 19 to 21, where Kaspersky researchers will lead a dedicated anti-stalkerware workshop focused on identifying spyware threats and improving digital safety awareness.
The report was based on a global study conducted by Kaspersky’s internal market research center involving 7,600 respondents across multiple countries, including Egypt-region markets such as Morocco, alongside countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Founded in 1997, Kaspersky provides cybersecurity and digital privacy solutions for individuals, enterprises, critical infrastructure operators, and governments worldwide, with more than one billion devices protected globally to date.