Your phone contains your identity and personal information, such as banking information, photographs, and chats that are otherwise private, making it a desirable target for hackers. Many people may not even realize their phone is compromised, until it is too late. Here are five signs that your phone may be hacked.
Your phone might all of a sudden become very sluggish. Apps constantly crash or freeze. This lag is often a sign something is awry. There could be malware or spyware running undetected in the background. These hidden programs can significantly strain your phone’s resources.
Has your battery been dying much quicker than it used to? There are plenty of options, including updates you forgot about or overdosing your phone with apps, but the battery drain could also be caused by a secret application stealing your data. This process of data collection will drain your battery quickly. Navigate to your settings to check your battery usage for abnormal readings.
If you notice your phone has recently increased mobile data usage, especially if you are on the same plan as other users, this could be the sign of an issue. Hackers exfiltrate your data constantly, by having it uploaded to their own server(s) using your internet connection. Check your phone settings to move and review the data that is being used and identify suspicious apps with strange behavior.
Do you see apps installed that you have not downloaded? This is a major red flag. Malware could have installed those apps secretly. Additionally, look out for excessive pop-ups ads on your phone, especially while browsing. Pop-ups can redirect your browsing session to potentially dangerous websites.
You may notice your phone feels hot when not in use. Often times background malware is to blame for this warming. In addition, look at your message settings very closely. Confirm that calls or texts are not being auto forwarded. Bad actors can use similar software to read your OTPs.
Immediately delete any suspicious apps. Next, boot the phone in safe mode. Once back up, run a full scan using a reliable antivirus app. Reset the passwords for all prominent accounts. This should include your email, banking, and social media passwords. If still experiencing settings programs, perform a factory reset; just be sure to backup the data first.
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