lurk

verb

• (of a person or animal) be or remain hidden so as to wait in ambush for someone or something:a ruthless killer still lurked in the darkness
• (of an unpleasant quality) be present in a latent or barely discernible state, although still presenting a threat:fear lurks beneath the surface (as adjective lurking)he lives with a lurking fear of exposure as a fraud
• informal read the postings on an Internet message board or in a chat room without making any contribution oneself.