Here’s how to know if your phone is hacked

• Phones are an easy target for hackers to steal personal information or track your activities.
• Look out for suspicious activities on your phone.
• Reset your phone if you sense it has been compromised.

As we use our phones to perform most of the tasks online, our privacy and data are at risk. Fraudsters can compromise your phone’s security to track your activities or extract confidential data from your device that can be sold or held to draw out ransom from the victim or find other ways to monetize it.

As per a report by Norton, Apple offers better security to iOS users, but this doesn’t mean that they cannot be hacked. Android phones are more prone to hacking and as per Malwarebytes report, there has been a rise in pre-installed malware and adware on the devices of Android users, with the goal to either steal data or steal attention.

To keep your privacy protected you must always keep a check on your phone’s behaviour.

Here’s how to know if your phone is hacked

1. Inappropriate pop-ups: If you see inappropriate or X-rated advertisements pop-ups on your mobile phone, it could suggest that your phone has been compromised.
2. Calls or messages you have not initiated: If there are unknown calls and messages initiated from your phone, it could indicate that your device has been hacked.
3. Exponentially high data usage: If your data bill is higher than usual without you increasing your online activities, it is likely that your phone is hacked and the fraudster is using your phone’s data to run apps in the background.
4. Draining of battery: The battery life of your phone decreases with time, but if the battery drains at an alarming rate, you must take note.
5. Poor performance: If your phone shows sluggish performance like crashing of apps, freezing of the screen and unexpected restarts, it is a sign of a hacked device.
6. Unrecognised apps: If you notice any unrecognised applications downloaded on your device, it could be the work of a hacker.
7. Unusual activity on social accounts: If there are unrecognised activities on your social media or emails account that are connected to your phone, it could mean that a hacker has gained access to the device and it could lead to identity theft.
8. No calls or messages: If you stop receiving calls or messages, the hacker must have got your SIM card cloned from the service provider.

You can protect your phone from hacking by being mindful of various applications and activities on your device. If you notice any of the above processes that suggest your phone is compromised, perform the following tasks to ward off the hackers.

What can you do if your phone is hacked?

Here’s what you should do if your phone is hacked

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1. Delete unrecognised applications: Check the inventory of apps and delete all suspicious apps that you do not recognise.
2. Run anti-malware applications: You can run trustworthy anti-malware apps that help detect malware and get rid of them.
3. Reset your phone: Resetting your phone is the easiest way to get rid of the malware.
4. Reset your passwords: Change the password of accounts connected to your phone to prevent the hacker from collecting your personal data.
5. Inform your contacts: Let your contacts know that your phone is compromised, and they must not click any suspicious messages received from your phone.
6. Unroot your phone: If you are using a rooted version of Android, you must unroot it using the SuperSU app.
7. Contact service-provider: If you stop receiving calls and messages on your phone, it could mean a hacker is using a cloned SIM card. Contact your service provider to resolve the issue.

You must also keep away from connecting to unknown public Wi-Fi, clicking on inappropriate pop-ups, and suspicious ads to protect your phone from getting hacked.