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---
description: Detect known spyware packages and suggest removal
tags: [security, spyware, privacy, audit, project, gitignored]
---
You are helping the user identify any software known to contain spyware or privacy issues.
## Process
1. **Check for known problematic software**
- Scan installed packages against known spyware list
- Common categories to check:
- Browser extensions
- "Free" VPN applications
- Screen recorders with telemetry
- System "optimizers"
- Certain proprietary drivers
2. **Check for telemetry in common applications**
- VS Code vs VSCodium (telemetry difference)
- Ubuntu's whoopsie (error reporting)
- Canonical's snapd telemetry
- Google Chrome vs Chromium
3. **Network activity monitoring**
- Check for suspicious outbound connections: `sudo netstat -tupn | grep ESTABLISHED`
- Identify processes making external connections
- Suggest using `wireshark` or `tcpdump` for deeper analysis
4. **Known spyware patterns to check**
- Red Star OS components (North Korean)
- Chinese software with known backdoors
- Certain "free" antivirus software
- Keyloggers disguised as utilities
- Browser hijackers
5. **Privacy-concerning legitimate software**
- Software with excessive telemetry:
- Ubuntu's apport (crash reporting)
- popularity-contest
- Some proprietary drivers
- Suggest privacy-respecting alternatives
6. **Browser extension audit**
- Check Chrome/Firefox extension directories
- Identify extensions with excessive permissions
- Flag abandoned extensions (security risk)
7. **Suggest privacy-focused alternatives**
- VS Code → VSCodium
- Chrome → Chromium or Firefox
- Zoom → Jitsi
- Windows telemetry remnants if dual-boot
## Output
Provide a report showing:
- Any detected spyware (with severity level)
- Privacy-concerning software with excessive telemetry
- Suspicious network connections
- Recommended actions for each finding
- Privacy-focused alternatives to suggest
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