Do you see random pop-ups on your screen after every minute? Or have you noticed texts or calls from your call that you did not make? Do you feel something may not be right? Maybe your phone is losing charge faster than usual. Or you wake up one day to find your smartphone turning itself off and on gain. These are just some signs that your phone may be under cybercrime attack.
At first, signs of a potential smartphone hack may look like technical issues, which is why most people tend to ignore it, yet it could be a symptom of a deeper problem. If you have malicious software running on your phone, such as malware and spyware, they could expose your data to cybercriminals without your knowledge. In a way, it can be good news since malware cause your phone to act sluggish or erratic, tipping you off potential hacking.
Here is everything you need to know about ways to tell if your phone has been hacked, what to do if your phone has been hacked, and ways to prevent future attacks.
How to Know if Your Phone Has Been Hacked
Cybercriminals may physically sneak onto your smartphone or trick you into installing hacking software via a phishing attack, a sketchy website, or a phony app. Hacking software can create problems for you in several ways, including extracting valuable data like credit card information.
If you think your phone is under attack, you shouldn’t ignore it. It would be best to try and find out what’s causing the attack and probably take steps to protect your data. Below are some of the signs your phone has been hacked.
- Random Pop-Ups
Strange or inappropriate pop-ups appearing randomly while using your phone are an apparent sign your phone has been hacked. Of course, you may see the pop-ups while you’re just safely browsing the web, but if they appear while you’re doing some other things or on trusted websites, it’s a clear indication of an installed malicious software.
- Higher Than Normal Data Usage
If you discover excessive data usage more than usual, it’s time to investigate. Several malicious apps usually send information to a remote server, which is why they quickly consume your smartphone’s data.
- Battery Draining Quickly
Phone batteries are not meant to last forever but designed efficiently to last longer; that’s why you can determine when something is wrong. Hacking may be to blame if your battery drains more quickly than usual. It could mean malicious software is quietly running in the background when your phone is idle.
- Sluggish Performance Than Normal
Are you experiencing constant crashes? Or do you often struggle with the level of smartphone performance? It could signify that malware applications dominate your system and prevent other apps from performing appropriately. Therefore, it’s time to investigate.
- Texts or Calls Not Made by You
Getting unknown outgoing calls ad texts is a common symptom of particular malware apps, which utilizes your device to reach out to premium-rate numbers. If you notice texts or calls not made by you, then there is a possibility your phone has been hacked.
What You Should Do if Your Realize Your Phone Has Been Hacked
It’s possible to stop someone hacking your phone if you have determined you’re dealing with a compromised phone. Here are some steps you can take if you realize your phone has been hacked.
- Run anti-malware software to identify malware lurking on your phone.
- Delete suspicious apps if you find that your phone has been hacked.
- Reset your phone to remove most malware, though you’ll also lose any data stored on your device.
- Reset all your passwords once you remove all the malware.
The prospect of a hacked phone is scary, but the good news is that you can take the above steps to prevent further hacking. Monitor your phone frequently for signs of unusual activity to avoid different mobile security threats. Always turn off your Bluetooth when you’re not using it, and create a custom passcode to access your phone.