Does your phone’s battery last very short? Do you consume your data in a few days?
Don’t panic. Maybe it’s time to switch terminals or adjust your data plan.
But beware, those symptoms can also indicate that a hacker manipulates your cell.
A security breach in your phone can compromise your identity, privacy, and resources without you knowing.
And it is that the methods of hackers are increasingly effective and undetectable.
Luckily for everyone, there are signs to suspect if we have hacked the phone and some tips to avoid it.
How do you know if your phone has been hacked?
As we told you at the beginning, if your phone consumes browsing data too fast, this could be a red flag.
“It is true that there are many reasons for high data consumption (for example, using some application more). But if you use your phone the same way and your data consumption has skyrocketed, it’s time to investigate,” recommends Norton, an American computer security company.
Norton also asks to be aware of battery consumption. If your phone habits haven’t changed and the charge takes you less than normal, your phone may have been hacked.
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Kaspersky, another leading company in computer security, gives another possible symptom of hacking.
“A hacked phone may be giving full processing power to suspicious hacker apps. This can cause your phone to slow down. Other signs can be freezes or unexpected restarts,” says Kaspersky.
Both Kaspersky and Norton agree to also closely monitor any unexpected activity on your phone.
These can be sudden apps you don’t remember installing or calls or messages you haven’t made.
Kaspersky advises checking your email accounts and social networks. It can be a sign of danger if you are asked to change your password or you see unusual access locations.
“When a hacker enters your phone, it will try to steal access to your most valuable accounts,” says the Russian-based company.
Regardless of the danger of hacking, it is advisable not to have the passwords pointed on your phone. It’s vital to keep your most valuable accounts well protected. GETTY IMAGES
How to avoid a security breach in your phone?
Your terminal can be hacked in several ways.
You should be careful when downloading apps, as some of them may contain viruses. The ideal is to choose apps from Google or Apple stores, for example.
“If you receive an email or text from a person you don’t know, avoid clicking on any link or downloading an attachment. These can also include malware,” norton says.
“It’s very easy for hackers to connect to your phone using wifi or bluetooth, so turn them off if you don’t need it because the attack can come without warning,” advises security company McAfee.
“If you get hacked in a public space, if you turn off your phone you can stop the hacker. This is an effective prevention method,” he adds.
Public wi-fi networks can be the scene of potential hacker attacks. GETTY IMAGES
As recommended, Kaspersky also advises keeping your phone with you all the time and not losing sight of it, not saving passwords on your device and keeping all your applications up to date.
How to act if your phone has already been hacked?
If despite following the advice a hacker has managed to manipulate your phone, it is important to be clear about the steps to get rid of the attacker.
First, Norton recommends notifying your contacts that your phone was hacked. So they can avoid clicking on any suspicious links they receive from you.
You should then uninstall any suspicious apps.
Watch out for any app that appears on your phone and don’t remember to have installed it. GETTY IMAGES
It is also advisable to activate some antimalware software on your terminal that detects and attacks the malicious agent that infects it.
Resetting your phone can be another solution, although this would also involve erasing your data and files.
Finally, it is vital that you change all your passwords. It is quite possible that this information was compromised during the attack.
