Signs of a hacked phone and what to do if your phone is hacked
Smartphones are undoubtedly a critical component of our personal and work lives. At home, we use smartphones for entertainment, shopping, banking, and connecting with friends and family. At work, we use smartphones to communicate with colleagues, access confidential client data, and connect with company assets.
The importance of smartphones makes them a giant target for threat actors, who come in many forms. A jealous partner, stalker, scammer, troll, thief, industrial spy, or state-sponsored agent are all examples of hackers who can leverage deception and technology to bypass mobile security. Alarmingly, many of the tools required to breach mobile device security are sophisticated yet user-friendly.
While organizations are investing in robustdata loss prevention solutions and smartphone manufacturers are growing more vigilant about mobile security, the end-user must also take responsibility.
The first step is beefing up your smartphone security with security software. The next step is how to know if your phone is beinghacked and what to do if your phone is hacked.
Signs of a hacked phone
Some signs of a hacked phone can also be due to outdated or failing software or hardware. For example, your phone may exhibit some performance issues such as crashes, slowdowns and a draining battery due to a hack or hardware problems.
Some signs point more clearly to a hack, though. Any unauthorized purchases or activity on your phone, unknown texts and emails sent from your device, or the theft of sensitive data such as pictures and videos can be due to a phone hack. If a potential abuser seems to mysteriously know your whereabouts, your phone could be infected by stalkerware.
To sum it up, here is a more comprehensive list of the signs of a hacked phone:
- Battery drains faster than usual: If your phone’s battery life has suddenly shortened significantly, it could be a sign that malware is running in the background and using up your phone’s resources.
- Slow performance: If your phone is running slower than usual, it could be due to malware running in the background, consuming system resources.
- Unusual pop-ups or error messages: If your phone is displaying unexpected pop-ups or error messages, it could be a sign that malicious software is installed on your phone.
- Increased data usage: If you notice that your phone is using more data than usual, it could be a sign that malware is sending data from your phone to a remote server.
- Unauthorized access to accounts: If you notice unauthorized access to your online accounts, it could be a sign that your phone has been hacked, and your login credentials have been stolen.
- Strange or unexpected behavior: If your phone is behaving strangely or unexpectedly, such as opening apps on its own or making calls or sending messages without your knowledge, it could be a sign that malware is installed on your phone.
What to do if your phone is hacked
- Disconnect your phone from WiFi and your mobile network to prevent the hacker from accessing your mobile phone through the Internet. Disable your hotspot too. Please also learn the importance of Internet security to protect any personal device that’s online.
- Use your device’s baked-in security software to check for malware. Next, download an anti-malware tool to run a more comprehensive scan. Remember, Malwarebytes for Android and Malwarebytes for iOS shield devices from spyware, malware, ransomware, and other threats.
- Change all your passwords, including login credentials for your phone, email, social media, bank, and other platforms. Set strong passwords that are long and complex.
- Scan your list of installed apps for suspicious software that may be stalkerware or a Trojan. Many brands of stalkerware look like security tools and may have been installed by an abuser.
- Please let your contacts know that you may have been hacked to stop them from potentially opening an infected email or social media message.
- Back up important information and restore your device to factory settings with a complete storage wipe.
- Contact your service provider, especially if you’re the victim of a SIM-swapping attack. Please also change your online PIN.
- Check your financial accounts for unauthorized transactions. Contact your bank immediately if you notice anything suspicious.
- Search your name on search engines and social media platforms for the publication of private information. Take action as necessary to take down confidential data.
- Keep an eye on your credit reports for red flags. Please also get in touch with law enforcement if necessary.
- Take preventative measures to mitigate the risk of a phone hack in the future.
Mobile cybersecurity risks
Malware
Malware is an umbrella term for any kind of malicious software, such as viruses, adware, spyware, ransomware, and Trojans. Malware designed to attack smartphones may blast them with popup ads to generate marketing revenue. Alternatively, it may target sensitive information or hijack a device’s resources.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a nasty type of malware that locks up a system and demands an extortion fee, typically in cryptocurrency. Although mobile ransomware is less common than the computer variety, it’s still a real threat to smartphone users.
Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks
A threat actor inserts themselves between the communication of two parties during aMan-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack, usually by taking advantage of a network vulnerability. The goal of such an attack is to eavesdrop on a conversation or alter communication for financial crime. MitM attacks against companies can have more advanced goals, though, such as a whaling or a supply-chain attack.
Jailbreaking and rooting
Jailbreaking and rooting your phone can be entertaining, but it may also leave your phone open to security concerns. A jailbroken phone may not have access to the latest security updates and can suffer from compatibility and stability issues. Jailbroken phones may also lose their warranties.
Out-of-date operating systems
An out-of-date operating system can be susceptible to threats that leverage software flaws to breach device security. Major smartphone manufacturers regularly issue security updates. For example, Apple often issuesiPhone zero-day software patches to protect users from exploits. And March’s Android security updates sawtwo critical vulnerabilities patched.
Spyware
Spyware is a type of malware that quietly snoops on smartphone users, displaying very few symptoms. Some brands of spyware can be more dangerous than others. For example, Pegasus spyware, developed by Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group, can spy on text messages, photos, emails, videos, and contact lists. It can also use an iPhone’s microphone and cameras to secretly record users, according toThe Washington Post.
Children and women are sometimes hit by another type ofspyware attack called stalkerware. Abusers such as stalkers and predators can use these tools to secretly check a target’s phone activity, record them, and even track their location.
Cryptojacking
Some cryptominers are using malware to hijack mobile devices in their desperation for mining resources in a threat called acryptojacking attack. Mobile devices can be infected by cryptomining malware from app stores and drive-by downloads from malicious websites. Cryptojacking tools will slow your system and connection and may also overheat your smartphone. Some attacks may also send your mobile bill skyrocketing.
Unsecured Wi-Fi
Many establishments at shopping malls, food courts, and airports offer WiFi with weak or nonexistent security. Users of such connections can be vulnerable to different kinds of attacks from hackers.
Phishing
Phishing emails may carry malware or trick mobile phone users into visiting attack websites that leverage drive-by downloads to infect devices. Phishing’s cousin, smishing, can also be a serious smartphone security threat. Smishing is like phishing, but the medium of attack is text messages rather than email.
How to secure your smartphone from future hacks
- Update your operating system to the latest version.
- Download mobile security software to give your baked-in security solutions a helping hand.
- Set a strong password or complex PIN.
- Stop sensitive information from displaying on your lock screen.
- Activate biometric security features like fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scan.
- Activate device locating features to find your misplaced or stolen device.
- Manage app permissions and avoid granting unnecessary permissions.
- Examine your list of apps and remove any suspicious applications.
- Use email filters to block malware and phishing expeditions.
- Avoid connecting to unsecured public WiFi networks.
- Subscribe to a reputable private VPN service to protect your network.
- Back up your data to a reputable cloud service.
Which smartphone is most secure?
Traditionally, Apple’s devices are considered more secure due to Apple’s strong security features. Unlike Android, iOS is a closed ecosystem, with Apple having more control over the operating system and applications.
However, Apple’s devices aren’t immune to security challenges. Problematic apps can make it to Apple’s App Store. iPhones may also have a target on their backs due to their popularity and reputation. Additionally, a sophisticated spyware attack on the iPhone from advanced malware like Pegasus can result in grave security breaches.
The answer to which smartphone is most secure is that it’s a mobile phone with a smart user. Update your operating system regularly, use strong mobile security, and avoid phishing and smishing attacks, unsafe links and websites, and suspicious applications. Please also be wary of some low-cost smartphones that have malware baked into them.