Want to Know If Your Phone Has Been Hacked, Is Your Phone Acting Strangely? It could be a hacker. Unfortunately, phone hacking is on the rise.
Affecting device performance and putting your personal data at risk. Read on to learn the signs of phone hacking and what to do if you’re a victim.
What is phone hacking. Phone hacking is the act of accessing a smartphone, its communications or its data without consent.
Phone hacking can range from stealing personal data to eavesdropping on phone conversations. There are several ways to hack a phone, including the use of phishing attacks, tracking software and unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
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How do I know if my phone has been hacked.
If your phone is exhibiting one of the following unusual behaviors, and especially if it is exhibiting more than one, there is a good chance it is hacked.
- Strange or inappropriate pop-ups: Bright, flashing ads or X-rated content appearing on your phone may indicate malware.
- Battery drains quickly: If your phone usage habits remain the same, but the battery drains faster than normal, hacking may be the culprit.
- Higher-than-normal data usage: There are many reasons for high data usage (e.g., increased use of a new app). But if your phone’s behavior has stayed the same and data usage has skyrocketed, it’s time to investigate.
- Apps you don’t recognize on your phone: Keep in mind that new phones often come with preloaded apps. But if you notice new apps popping up once you already have the phone, malware may be present.
- Text messages or calls not made by you: If you notice text messages or calls being sent from your phone that you didn’t make, your phone may be hacked.
How can they hack my phone?
Hackers can access your phone in a number of ways, but almost all require action on your part. For example, your phone can be hacked if you have:
1. used unsecured public Wi-Fi
Using your phone to browse public Wi-Fi can increase the chances of your phone being vulnerable to hacking. To keep your connections more secure, use a VPN (virtual private network) for encryption and online privacy.
2. Downloaded a malicious application
To avoid downloading an app that may be embedded with malware, only select apps from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
You should also confirm that the developer of the app is the correct one. For example, the developer of the Gmail app should only be listed as Google LLC.
And finally, read the app reviews. Most of the reviews should be positive.
3. You clicked on a malicious link
If you receive an email or text message from a sender you don’t know, avoid clicking on any included links or downloading any attachments. There is a chance that they may contain malware.
If you are surfing the web and come across a link that you think may be suspicious, run it through a site scanner such as Norton Safe Web before clicking on it.
What do I do if my phone has been hacked?
If you have determined that your phone has been hacked, there are a few steps you can take to fix it.
Before you begin, we recommend that you warn your contacts that your phone has been hacked and that they do not click on any suspicious links they have received from you.
Here are some more steps you can take.
Run anti-malware software
Antimalware software can help you identify and attack malware lurking on your phone.
You should run it regularly, but if you haven’t done so before, now is a good time to start.
Reset your phone
Most malware can be removed with a factory reset of your phone.
However, this will erase all data stored on the device, such as photos, notes and contacts, so it is important to back up this data before resetting the device.
Follow the instructions below to reset your iPhone or Android.
Instructions for resetting an iPhone
If you have a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15, open the Finder. If not, open iTunes.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer.
- Select your device on the computer.
- Select Restore iPhone.
For more detailed instructions, visit Apple support.
Instructions for resetting an Android phone
Instructions for resetting an Android phone vary by manufacturer. You should visit your phone manufacturer’s website for specific instructions.
On most Android phones, you can access the reset option through the settings menu or by pressing and holding the power and volume buttons.
For more detailed instructions, visit Google support.
Remove suspicious apps
As you already know, downloading a suspicious app is a common way to invite malware onto your phone.
If you discover that your phone has been hacked, take inventory of your apps and remove anything that comes from a third-party source (in other words, other than Apple’s App Store or the Google Play store).
Confirm that recently downloaded apps come from trusted developers and have good reviews.
If not, remove them from your phone.
Change your passwords
Your login information may have been compromised when your phone was hacked.
Once you have removed the malware, reset all your passwords and create unique passwords for each account.
How can I keep my smartphone secure?
We’ve already talked about some of the ways you can download malware on your phone, so help us avoid them by diligently scanning apps, checking suspicious links before clicking on them, and avoiding public Wi-Fi networks.
Here are some other ways to keep your phone secure.
- Avoid storing sensitive information (such as credit card numbers) on your phone. Or, store them in a secure application.
- Be smart about what you click, download and store.
- Turn off Bluetooth when not in use.
- Help protect your phone by installing the latest software updates as soon as they are released.
- Lock individual applications.
- Create a custom passcode to access your phone.
- Regularly monitor your phone for signs of unusual activity, such as unusual pop-ups or high battery usage.
Ten extra tips to keep your phone from being hacked
While there are a number of ways a hacker can get into your phone and steal personal and critical information, here are some tips to prevent that from happening:
- Stay safer on the go with a VPN. One way to make a public network private is with a VPN, which can keep you and everything you do protected from others on that Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Update your phone and apps. Updates can fix vulnerabilities that cybercriminals rely on to carry out their malware-based attacks. In addition, those updates can help keep your phone and apps running smoothly while introducing new and useful features.
- Turn off Wi-Fi when you’re not using them. Think of it as closing an otherwise open door.
- Use a password manager. Strong, unique passwords offer another primary line of defense.
- Avoid public charging stations. Charging at a public station seems very simple and secure. However, some hackers have been known to “juice up” by installing malware on the charging station.
- Encrypt your phone. Encrypting your phone can save you from being hacked and can protect your calls, messages and critical information.
- Use comprehensive online protection software on your phone.
- Lock your SIM card. Just as you can lock your phone, you can also lock the SIM card that is used to identify you, the owner, and to connect to your cellular network. Locking it prevents your phone from being used on a network other than your own.
- Keep an eye on your phone. It’s also important to prevent theft of your phone, as some hacks occur simply because the phone falls into the wrong hands.
- Stay away from third-party app stores. Google Play and Apple’s App Store have measures in place to review and vet apps to ensure they are safe. Third-party sites may not have that process in place.
