How can you check if your smartphone has been hacked? and what measures can you take to keep your device and the data it contains safe?
The hackers have evolved over the years and increasingly point to smartphones for several reasons. The most important of these is for personal data, but not only does taking control of intelligent devices, in fact, allow much more than simple data collection.
For example, cryptojacking is the system by which hackers use the computing power of a phone to extract cryptocurrency.
What happens if your smartphone has been hacked
Data theft, credit card fraud or illegal crypto mining: these are some of the many examples of what could happen if your phone is hacked.
The problem is how to find out what happens behind the screen and stop it before the damage is done.
There are a number of clues that may indicate a possible attack by a hacker, below nine are listed, but your smartphone does not need to be subject to all, even a part of it is enough to suspect that it has been hacked.
It is also true that only a couple of them do not necessarily indicate that your smartphone is under the control of an attacker, there could be other problems of malfunctioning, for example, which leads your device to overheat.
1) Overheating
It is normal for cell phones to overheat when they are charging or if you are playing some heavy games. If it is a low-end smartphone, it overheats even when you watch videos that are too long. But, if your phone overheats for no apparent reason when it is not in use, it is undoubtedly indication of some problem.
At this point, you should look for that app or process, or more, that is running in the background without your permission. To do it go up Settings and go to Application management or App where you will find the section dedicated to running apps or you will see a green circle, depending on the type of interface.
Experienced users can enable Developer Option (click on the Android build number 10 times) and check the running services.
2) Battery consumption
If you notice that the battery drains faster than usual, unwanted processes may be running in the background.
Go to Settings and therefore Battery and therefore details of use, also here the various items may vary according to the UI.
Check which app has the greatest effect on battery consumption and if you remember having used it recently. Also examine the option Battery saving to see which apps are active.
You can limit the background activity of any app by opening it and selecting the option Limit background tasks.
3) Installation of unwanted apps
Some apps installed from unreliable sources may keep bothering you to install another Cleaner or Boost RAM application. Those sneaky install malware loaded without your permission. If you don’t remember installing that particular app that looks suspicious, then it’s likely that you didn’t.
It is usually a good idea to read user reviews before installing any app and only use the Play Store to do so.
4) Use of data
Excessive consumption of data or apps that use too much data is an unequivocal sign that your smartphone has been hacked. In general, especially on a WiFi connection and with flat rates, not much attention is paid to data usage.
A mistake that could be fatal, the use of unjustified Internet data is a clear sign that the phone data is being uploaded to a suspicious website, which could be a hacker’s server.
To check data usage go to Settings and then on data usage, here you will see a list of all the apps that use the Internet. Here you can switch from Mobile to Wi-Fi.
If you notice an unusual spike in data usage, see an app you can’t remember to use or think you shouldn’t use the Internet, then get rid of it.
5) Pop-up ads
If pop-ups with ads appear on your device without you using any apps, you need to find the app that shows them to you and delete it quickly. These apps secretly steal your data and sell it to advertisers.
6) Slow phone
A slow smartphone or apps that are constantly crashing can be signals of different types of problems, including a device compromised by malware.
The malware could consume system resources or cause conflicts with the operation of other apps, causing slowdowns, app crashes or unexplained restarts. I suggest you delete all the apps you don’t need or use anymore.
If your device does not already have it, install an antivirus app in addition to Malwarebytes and run a full scan.
7) Service interruption
Another method used by hackers is to exchange SIMs or, better said, take possession of the SIM number. An operation that in Italy should not be possible, but given that every day we discover a different one, it is good to know that this could also happen.
If you believe that your SIM or number has been compromised, contact your operator and make a request to immediately stop all services. The operator should re-issue a new SIM after an appropriate investigation.
8) Phishing calls and SMS
Phishing calls are a technique in which the scammer calls you, often with a sense of urgency, and tries to get sensitive information about you. Mostly they will ask for bank account details (to unlock the card), social security numbers, passwords or data. Subsequently, this information can be used to access your accounts and therefore your digital life.
This is a technique widely used also in Italy and there are many people who fall for it even though the warnings from the media are continuous.
Never share passwords or other sensitive information with anyone on the phone, via SMS, via e-mail or even with messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger.
Most Android smartphone users have a Google account by default. That’s why these methods can be used to access your phone remotely and to disable critical services.
9) Unexplained costs of the Play Store
Well, you can’t always blame the kids for making a clean swipe of your credit card. Sometimes, the perpetrators are malware or spyware apps. These apps will ask for permission to access the data stored on the phone.
If you don’t remember buying apps or making in-app purchases or finding irregularities in your invoices, your phone may have been hacked. The hacker has access to your credit card or Play Store details. Change your password immediately and call your bank to stop authorizing further transactions.
Activated to improve security
The nine points on the list are not absolute. This is an indicative checklist to help you check if your Android smartphone has been hacked.
In any case, the best way to avoid any kind of inconvenience is to prevent, but how?
To increase the protection of your Android smartphone from attacks or violations of any kind, here’s what to watch out for:
- Do not open links in e-mails or messages from random or unknown persons.
- Change passwords often and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
- Read reviews from the Play Store and online before downloading an app.
- Use apps with two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect important accounts.
- Avoid access to public Wi-Fi networks.
- Use a reliable VPN when needed (for example when connected to public WiFi).
- Do not provide any personal details to anyone who does this by phone, SMS or e-mail.
