A phone contains some of the most sensitive information about its user, ranging from credit-card details to passwords of bank accounts and the like. Thus, it becomes utmost important to ensure that the phone is kept safe from cyber attacks such as hacking. Mentioned below are the top fifteen clear warning signs to recognize that a phone is under attack.
Top 15 Signs Your Phone Has Been Hacked
1. Surprise Installations
If you find applications installed in your phone that you did not install and are sure that the unknown applications are not the result of a system update, chances are that your phone is being remotely controlled by someone else. The rise in sudden installation is a result of hacking. This is one of the most common signs noticed by people who doubt that their phone has been hacked.
2. Application Glitches
Glitches are a common thing that we all experience. If you recognize that the new applications are working well while the old ones constantly create havoc, chances are that your phone contains some malware. This happens because the malware has affected those applications which result in them either being slow or too hard to operate.
3. Battery Troubles
Sometimes there is a continuous depletion of battery and one is unaware of the real reason behind it. If your phone’s battery keeps depleting rapidly, it is suggestive of background applications running on your phone that might be processing and sending your data to an unauthorized source. These background applications even when the phone is not being used run in the background and use a good amount of battery.
4. Slow-Mo
It is a common complaint by many people that they notice their phone’s operations being slowed down. It happens and one often notices that the phone’s operation speed has reduced drastically, it might be time to check for potential unauthorized usage of your device. This may hint to some virus or a malware application reducing the original working speed of your device.
5. Heated Phones
If you notice your phone warming up quickly or when your phone is not in active use, it might indicate unauthorized intervention. The heating is an indication of something being drastically wrong with your phone and this should be taken seriously.
6. Rebooting Itself
One of the major signs that your phone has been hacked is when you notice that your phone undergoes operations without your interference. It is seen in some cell phones that it reboots itself, switches off, dials numbers, or starts applications on its own and this is a clear cut indication that the phone might have been hacked.
7. Contact List Havoc
If you notice unknown phone numbers appear in your “recent calls” list and it costs you, there is a high chance that your phone is being tampered with. Hackers can proxy through your device to make expensive international calls. This is a very risky affair and can lead you to serious problems. There have been several cases in history where people have fallen victim to these international calls operated by hackers which subsequently land innocent people in trouble.
8. Strange Texts
Another sign that your phone might have been hacked is when unknown messages come from unknown numbers. Many cases have been registered where people complain of phones themselves sending messages to unknown people. This sending and/ or receiving strange text messages should not be ignored for it could lead to severe repercussions involving judicial and legal problems.
9. Trouble Switching-off
Sometimes it becomes very hard to switch off your device and many people struggle with it. If you find it troublesome to switch off your device, it could be a sign of a hacked phone.
10. Echoes
If you hear absurd noises or echoes during phone calls, it could be a potential sign of hacking and tracking of your phone calls involving eavesdropping. This is also seen in many crime documentaries and thrillers to make people aware about the hacking and it’s evil results.
11. Altered Appearances
If you notice that websites appear altered in their appearance on your phone while appearing in their organic state on other devices, it could be a sign of a malware installed by unknown sources.
12. Increased Mobile Data Usage
Many people complain that the data usage is slightly more than the actual data usage. This is a serious issue and should be dealt with in a serious light. There is sometimes extra traffic on your device which results in heavy mobile data usage. If you have a data monitoring application and notice extra traffic on your phone, it could be a sign that your mobile data is being shared with others.
13. Pop-Ups
One of the common complaints by various people who have experienced hacking on their devices is that there is an increase in the number of pop-ups. If these excessive pop-ups appear on your phone, it could be related to a hacked phone.
14. Blocked Emails
There are several cases where you find e-mails being blocked or being sent to the spam folder without your active intervention, it could have been done by an outside source controlling your phone. This is again a direct hint about your phone being hacked by certain unknown sources.
15. Dropped Phonecalls
People experience that many times the signal strength is excellent but even due to the excellent signal strength the phone calls repeatedly get dropped and it could be a sign of hacking.
If you recognize the aforementioned signs as part of your everyday struggles while using your phone, it might be time to seek corrective action. It is always advisable to install anti-malware software to provide added security to your phone.
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