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10 Signs That Your Phone Is Hacked

Writer's picture: StellaStella

⁤In today's world, we are more vulnerable to cyberattacks as hackers exploit various methods to access our data or take control of our devices. These include malicious apps disguised as helpful tools, such as VPNs or antivirus software, phishing links in emails, or direct hacking.


Phones are prime targets for cybercriminals because they store personal and sensitive information. Whether you use an iPhone or an Android, all devices are susceptible to cyberattacks.


Hackers commonly use techniques like tampered USB or charging cables, fake public Wi-Fi networks, and other deceptive tools to gain access to your devices. Social engineering is another tactic hackers use, tricking users into clicking malicious links or downloading harmful software through phishing emails. Phone hacking is both common and dangerous. Chances are, you know at least one person who has experienced having their phone compromised.


What can hackers do to your phone? They can:

  • Gain personal information by monitoring your calls, messages and data usage.

  • Manipulate you into downloading malware.

  • Acquire personal information by sending misleading messages.

  • Steal data by exploiting unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

  • Lock you out of all your accounts and sell your information.

  • Wipe out all the data on your phone with no chance of recovery.



How would you really know if your phone was hacked? We’ll discuss the signs and symptoms that your mobile phone may be hacked and provide practical advice to safeguard your device.


Sign 1: Your phone battery drains faster than normal.


When you’re using your phone normally and you see that its battery is draining more quickly than usual, you might have malicious apps running in the background of your phone that are consuming its memory and processing power—one of the symptoms that your phone might be hacked.


You should examine your phone's battery settings to see which apps are taking additional battery life because there may be background processes running that you didn't know about and that can also lead to the phone overheating. If you find anything unusual it could be malware.


Sign 2: Your phone’s performance is slowing down and keeps crashing.


Sluggish performance, unusual activity, and frequent device crashes are all symptoms of a hacked phone. If your phone is exceptionally slow or crashing frequently, especially when performing basic functions, it may be burdened by malware consuming or taking up your system's resources and is getting worse.


When phones get older, they tend to slow down but you shouldn't be seeing a drastic drop in performance overnight. The hacker may be running background processes on your phone that is causing the sluggish performance.


Malware isn't always the case for performance issues though and sometimes it might be due to corrupted files or apps that need to be reset. On Android devices, try rebooting your device in Safe Mode, enabling it to run limited apps and processes only. If your mobile device functions smoothly in Safe Mode, you are dealing with a troublesome app that must be deleted.


Step 3: Your phone unexpectedly has an increase in data usage.


Malware and other viruses may run in the background, sending and receiving data which can lead to unexpected high data usage on your phone bill. A sudden spike in your data usage is an expected sign that your phone is hacked as there are many types of malware that will use your data connection to transmit information from your phone to a remote server.


You may check which apps are using up your cellular data by going into your phone’s settings and searching for Cellular. On iPhone Devices, go to Settings app, and under Cellular, you can view how much data your phone has used during your current billing period.


Sign 4: Your phone is abnormally warm.



Due to the two signs or symptoms mentioned before, you are likely to experience your phone's temperature getting warmer. If this is the case and you haven't changed the way you use your phone, this could mean there are unauthorized processes running in the background.


Some malware uses up so much of your phone's resources that it may overheat or feel warmer. You can check to see if the apps are running in the background and using up your system's resources.


On iPhone devices, you can simply turn off background app refresh to see if that fixes the issue. On Android devices, it is needed to enable developer options and then look into running services.


Sign 5: There are unknown apps installed in your phone.


Hackers can hide malicious software in apps you wouldn't expect causing your device to perform slower and act out of the ordinary. New apps may appear unexpectedly on your device, existing apps may perform slower, and apps may open on their own or crash frequently. So if you find an app that you didn't install on your phone, this is a clear sign that a hacker has gained access and installed malicious software.


You may want to examine your phone as not all of these malicious apps may appear on your home screen. For Apple and Android devices you can audit them in the app library.


Sign 6: Unusual and frequent pop-ups or notifications.


Hackers use adware to generate revenue by excessive pop-up ads, or worse, to manipulate you into downloading more malware. Some malware, like adware, bombards your device with pop-ups and notifications and may even launch apps on their own. There are other adwares that also monitor your screen when inputting bank credentials.


In recent news, hackers are using malicious browser extensions, infecting both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge users with malvertising to push fake sites. Hackers have been creating popular lookalike sites for users to think they might be downloading legitimate software but are actually downloading a trojan virus.


While pop-up ads are normal when browsing online, unwanted ads might show up even when visiting a trusted site or in apps where they don’t usually appear. If you notice this unusual occurrence, you might have a virus running in the background.

You can check for adware in your mobile browser's extensions; on iOS devices, go to Settings > Safari > Extensions and delete any unknown extensions that could be causing issues.


Sign 7: You are locked out of your accounts.


The most obvious sign is when you are unexpectedly locked out of all of your accounts, including your Apple ID, Google account, other online accounts, and especially your bank account. Even with your online information, it can be used to commit identity theft, especially with your banking credentials.


Cybercriminals have already created a trojan, completely invisible on screen, that tricks users into granting it access and logs every text and app you launch—copying passwords and more. Since hackers often target financial data, check for unauthorized purchases or money transfers from your accounts.


You should immediately follow Apple's and Google's account recovery instructions if you are unable to access your Apple or Google account.


Sign 8: Unusual behavior from your phone: sending messages on its own, unrequested 2FA codes, randomly opening apps, you’ve stopped receiving texts and calls.


Another sign that your account or device is at risk is when you are receiving alerts about suspicious activity related to your online accounts, especially if they are linked to your phone. Suspicious or unusual activity, which are all clear signs of a breach, commonly include hackers sending strange messages to your contacts, posting content on your profile that contains clickbait to malicious links, requests for password resets or account detail changes, unrequested two-factor authentications (2FA), or sign-ins you didn't initiate.


If your phone is behaving strangely or unexpectedly like this, such as opening apps on its own, making calls, or sending messages without your knowledge, it could be a sign that malware is installed on your phone. Hackers can send links for more malware to everyone on your contacts list so keep an eye on your call logs, messages, and emails.


Be aware that hackers can also use malware to collect and sell your device and contact information, until you are flooded with robocalls, texts, and, oh yeah, more ads.


Sign 9: Unauthorized access to your camera and microphone.


Sophisticated stalking and monitoring malware allow cybercriminals to remotely activate your camera and microphone to spy on your personal life, record conversations, and potentially use the information for blackmail or harvest your data to sell. A clear sign of a hacked phone is when your indicator lights turn on without you using your camera or microphone.


On some phones, the top of the screen will show a colored dot to indicate if the camera or microphone is in use. A green dot usually means an app is using the camera and an orange dot usually means an app is using the microphone, just like for iPhones.


You should start by checking your app permissions to see if any unfamiliar apps have unauthorized access to your phone’s camera or microphone. You may also need to check your online cloud storage for strange photos and videos that have not been uploaded by you.


Sign 10: Changed phone settings without your knowledge.


If your settings have been altered without your knowledge, especially those related to security and privacy, this could be a sign that a hacker has gained access to your phone to lock you out or maintain control.


Lock screen passwords, notification preferences, added contact info like emails or numbers in your contact list or accounts, altered default applications, changed language or region settings, and especially altered privacy settings are symptoms of cybercriminals hacking your device and stealing your sensitive data. Malicious software can also use developer options, when enabled, to control the device further and run unauthorized scripts.


You can check all your accounts and change your passwords immediately if this is happening to your device. Make sure to review app permissions and revoke access to anything that looks unusual. Enable two-factor authentication, if you haven't already and keep your software updated regularly. If all else fails, you should back up your important files and reset your device.


What Should You Do If Your Phone Is Hacked?


Step 1. Check With Your Banks.

The first port of call may be your bank, credit card company, or other financial institution to make sure that your accounts have not been compromised.


Step 2. Change Your Passwords.

Your next, and most important step is to immediately change all passwords to new, strong ones. This should be done for all applications and websites linked to the compromised device.


Step 3. Remove Suspicious Applications.

Conduct an audit of all the apps on the device and uninstall any that seem unusual or unknown. Restart the phone and check again to ensure that the deletions were successful.


Step 4. Factory reset your phone.

If every other option fails and there are a lot of pop-ups or harmful apps, you can restore your phone to its factory settings – this means deleting everything stored on the device, so this is your last option only.


Step 5. Warn Your Friends.

It's a good idea to notify your friends and other contacts that your phone has been hacked, advise them not to react or respond to notifications from your device, and to delete any messages that appear to be from your phone.


Experiencing a phone hack can be incredibly damaging because it can affect everything from personal relationships to your financial security. However, recovery is possible, and there are steps you can take to significantly reduce the likelihood of it happening again.


The key to having a secure smartphone lies in a smart user. Regularly update your operating system, utilize mobile security measures, and steer clear of phishing and smishing attempts, unsafe links, and dubious apps. Additionally, be cautious of low-cost smartphones that may come preloaded with malware.



 

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