Detection Section (TSCM)
Smartphone Audit and Spyware Detection
The spy we keep in our pocket
A compromised smartphone is the most comprehensive surveillance tool available. Once spyware is installed, it provides access to messages, calls, real-time location data, and photos, and can remotely activate the device’s microphone and camera. Unlike a hidden microphone, it follows you everywhere—at the office, at home, and on the go.
Consumer software designed to “monitor” a loved one—collectively known as “stalkerware”—is now easy to obtain; at the other end of the spectrum, sophisticated interception solutions such as Pegasus or Predator have demonstrated that no device is, in principle, inviolable.
The warning signs are well known: the battery draining abnormally fast, unusual overheating, unexplained data usage, and erratic device behavior. In situations involving a breakup, abuse, or a workplace dispute, these signs warrant a thorough investigation rather than anxious searches that lead nowhere.
A common scenario: In an abusive relationship, one partner installs monitoring software on the other’s phone, sometimes within just a few minutes of having physical access to the device. The victim then feels as though they are constantly being “read”—their messages, their movements, and their calls seem to be known—without understanding how. A phone audit helps put a name to this feeling and regain control of the device.
What a smartphone audit includes
Our audit service—which is part of our expertise in detection, or TSCM (Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures)—covers both business and personal smartphones.
We check for spyware and stalkerware, suspicious applications and configuration profiles, abnormal access and permissions, as well as signs of intercepted communications. This list is not exhaustive, as techniques evolve rapidly.
The analysis relies on tools and a methodology specifically designed for examining mobile devices, supplemented by our team’s expertise in identifying technical indicators of a compromise. This audit focuses on smartphones: it is not a general cybersecurity service for your information system, but rather a targeted examination of the device you carry with you every day.
Let’s be clear: no tool can guarantee that it will reliably detect the most advanced interception solutions, which are designed specifically to remain invisible. However, the vast majority of situations encountered in practice involve stalkerware or consumer-grade surveillance apps, which the audit can identify. We’ll be honest with you about what the audit can and cannot determine—that’s the foundation of a relationship built on trust.
Once the process is complete, we will provide you with our findings and, if a security breach is detected, the steps to take to secure the device. We maintain complete confidentiality: whatever we find on your phone will never be disclosed outside the scope of this assignment.
Step-by-Step Guide to a Typical Intervention
After an initial confidential discussion to understand your situation and the issues that concern you, we agree on the terms of the audit. The device review covers installed apps, profiles and permissions, network activity, and evidence of potential spyware. We’ll explain our findings in plain language, and if a security breach is detected, we’ll advise you on the steps to take to clean up the device and minimize the impact. If you’d like, we’ll also provide simple best practices to reduce the risk of future compromises: regular updates, managing app permissions, and being cautious about physical access to your phone and shared backups.
Why Choose the Aquila Group
The Aquila Group is a private detective agency licensed by the CNAPS. Smartphone analysis requires the ability to distinguish between genuine evidence of compromise and a simple malfunction: this is one of the areas of expertise of our Investigation Division, led by Igor Defosse, the firm’s TSCM technical advisor since 2021 and a graduate of IFAR. Explore our full range of surveillance expertise on our website.
Beyond this service, the Aquila Group is a well-structured firm, organized into several areas of expertise and with a network of offices throughout France. This structure allows us to meet with you or respond quickly anywhere in the country, while maintaining the same high standards of methodology from one assignment to the next. Every engagement is conducted in strict compliance with the legal framework governing our profession.
Privacy is a particularly sensitive issue here: a phone contains the essence of your personal and professional life. We treat your device with the same care we would apply to a confidential file, and what we find on it never leaves the scope of the assignment—from our initial discussion to our final recommendations.
We serve clients throughout France, with particularly high demand in the Paris region. Absolute confidentiality and technical impartiality are at the heart of our commitment. To have your device inspected, please contact our teams.
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Smartphone Audit, Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the equipment used and the depth of the analysis, the test can be completed within the same day. We will let you know the timeframe after our initial discussion.
Yes. The process and its results are strictly confidential. Confidentiality is guaranteed from the very first contact.
From consumer-grade stalkerware to more advanced interception solutions, as well as suspicious apps, profiles, and permissions that indicate a compromise.
We document our findings and provide you with steps to clean up the system and minimize the consequences, guiding you toward legal action if necessary.
Yes, on a device that you own. Our approach complies with the Internal Security Code and the applicable legal framework.
Check out all our sections on investigations for detecting hidden microphones and cameras
Be sure to check out ourinsurance investigations as well as ourOSINT digital investigations.
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