Spyware can turn any smartphone into a spying device against its user, making it a vital tool for government organizations tasked with solving or preventing crimes. However, in the hands of a corrupt or democratically challenged government, the same spyware has been unleashed against members of civil society, in some cases enabling harassment, physical attacks, imprisonment on false charges and even assassination. But even in situations in which spyware infection doesn’t precede such consequences, targets can experience deep, lingering psychological scars.