Security News > 2023 > May > How cyberstalkers could access your iPhone using the Windows Phone Link app

A Microsoft app that helps people use their Windows PC and iPhone or Android phone in tandem could also be abused by cyberstalkers to snoop on personal information.

In a report released Thursday, software maker Certo explains how Microsoft's Phone Link app could be used against iPhone owners and how they can protect themselves against this type of threat.

Windows Phone Link is a free Microsoft app that lets people view and access phone calls, text messages and notifications from their smartphone directly on their Windows 10 or 11 PC. In the past, the app has supported just Android phones, but a recent update from Microsoft allows Windows 11 users to set up Phone Link to work with certain models of iPhones.

Setting up Phone Link requires physical access to the phone and to a Windows computer.

The risk here is that a person who's able to even temporarily grab someone else's phone could enable Phone Link on their own Windows PC and use the app to spy on the victim's phone calls and text messages without their knowledge or permission.

In Windows 11, the person would launch the app and then scan its QR code from their phone to automatically connect and pair the phone and PC. Drilling down into the Bluetooth setting on the phone lets you sync contacts and notifications from the phone with Windows.

News URL

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/cyberstalkers-iphone-windows-phone-link-app/