Three Spy Apps Disappear After Exposing Victims’ Data

Three controversial phone surveillance apps Cocospy, Spyic, and Spyzie have abruptly gone offline following a massive data breach that exposed sensitive information belonging to millions of people.

These apps, often labeled as “stalkerware” or “spouseware,” were designed to operate in secret, quietly collecting data from phones without the knowledge or consent of the user being monitored.

Hidden Surveillance with Dangerous Consequences

Marketed as tools for parental control or employee monitoring, these apps have frequently been misused by spouses and partners to secretly spy on others.

Once installed on a target’s phone, the apps remained hidden from the device’s home screen, making them difficult for victims to detect. Meanwhile, they provided continuous access to private content — including text messages, photos, call logs, browsing history, and real-time location data.

In early 2025, researchers uncovered a major security vulnerability shared by all three apps. This flaw allowed anyone with basic technical knowledge to access vast amounts of data collected from compromised devices.

The exposure didn’t just affect victims whose phones were monitored — it also revealed the identities of those who had installed the apps, leaking millions of customer email addresses.

Massive Data Exposure and Shutdown

The scope of the breach was staggering. Researchers were able to extract roughly 3.2 million email addresses tied to Cocospy, Spyic, and Spyzie accounts. These emails were submitted to the data breach notification site Have I Been Pwned to alert those affected.

Additionally, the exposed data included photos, private messages, call logs, and other personal information collected without user consent.

Following reports of the breach, the three apps quickly went offline. Their websites were shut down, Amazon-hosted cloud servers deleted, and no official statements were issued.

This pattern is common in the stalkerware industry, where operations often go dark or rebrand after a security incident in an attempt to avoid legal and reputational consequences. At least 25 similar services have been breached since 2017, with many shutting down afterward.

How to Detect and Remove These Apps

Even though Cocospy, Spyic, and Spyzie are now offline, many other similar spyware services exist. Users who suspect their phones may have been compromised should take action.

On Android, dialing ✱✱001✱✱ and pressing the call button can help reveal hidden stalkerware apps like Cocospy and Spyic. This code triggers a built-in access feature originally intended to let the person who installed the app reopen it. But if the app is on your phone, it will cause the hidden interface often disguised as something like “System Service” to appear, allowing you to spot and uninstall it through normal app settings.

Also checking for unusual battery or data use, unfamiliar apps, and suspicious permissions can help reveal spyware.

For a full guide on spotting Android threats, visit Certo’s Android Spyware Detection Guide.

On iPhones, look for unknown configuration profiles, strange battery drain, or sudden data spikes. Check “Settings” > “Privacy & Security” for unusual app permissions, and review storage for unfamiliar apps. Spyware is harder to spot on iOS, so scanning with a tool like Certo AntiSpy can help.

See Certo’s iPhone Spyware Detection Guide for more details.