Cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler has uncovered a serious data leak involving stalkerware that exposed more than 86,000 private images from a victim’s device.
According to ExpressVPN’s report, the exposed database was not protected by a password and was publicly accessible online. It contained 86,859 images that appeared to be screenshots taken from one person’s device. The screenshots included private chats and activity from Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok.
The victim was described as a well-known European celebrity, entrepreneur, and media personality, but their identity was not revealed for privacy reasons. The exposed files also included private conversations with models, influencers, celebrities, friends, family members, and business contacts.
The leak reportedly exposed sensitive details such as phone numbers, email addresses, private images, invoices, receipts, IDs, and other personal documents. Fowler said he notified law enforcement and also contacted the victim using phone numbers found in the exposed screenshots.
Stalkerware is a type of spyware that can secretly monitor a phone, tablet, or computer without the owner’s consent. Once installed, it can track messages, photos, calls, location, app activity, and sometimes even microphone or camera access.
The incident shows that even encrypted messaging apps cannot fully protect users if spyware is already installed on their device. End-to-end encryption protects messages while they are being sent, but once the message appears on a compromised phone, stalkerware can capture screenshots or record the content.
Users who suspect spyware should check for unknown apps, unusual battery drain, overheating, high data usage, strange permissions, or unexpected device behavior. Security experts also recommend reviewing accessibility permissions, device administrator settings, scanning with trusted security tools, updating the operating system, and performing a factory reset if needed.
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