How To Know Your Phone Is Hacked? A Basic Insight In 2022

Introduction

It would be best if you kept in mind the alerts and suspicious functioning of your phone to make sure that it is not hacked. The below-mentioned points will help you get the answers to how to know your phone is hacked.

Nowadays, every task is performed with the help of mobile phones. These smartphones have become the common targets for most of hackers in the world. Despite all the efforts by companies to prevent the presence of malware, there are still many ways to hack a smartphone.

In this article let us look at:

1. How to know your phone is hacked?
2. Signs your phone may have been hacked
3. What to do if your phone is hacked?
4. How to protect yourself?
5. Who would hack your phone?
6. Ways your phone can be hacked
7. Prevent your phone from getting hacked
8. Why do hackers hack your phone?
9. How do I keep my smartphone secure?
10. Additional Tips to Protect Your Phone from Hackers

WHAT IS PHONE HACK?

Phone hackrefers to any method by which someone gains unauthorized access to your mobile phone or its communications such as messages, chats, apps, contacts, etc. This can include everything from sophisticated security breaches to simply barging into your calls on an unsecured internet connection. Physical theft of your mobile phone and brute-force hacking is also possible to phone hack methods. Androids and iPhones can both be hacked, as can any other type of mobile device. Because anyone’s phone can be hacked, everyone must learn how to spot a compromised phone.

1. How to know your phone is hacked?

If your mobile phone displays or shows any suspicious or inappropriate behavior or functions, there’s a chance that your phone might be hacked. Through the slow functionality of your mobile phone or some mysterious texts, you can determine and get the answer to how to know if your phone is hacked or not.

2. Signs your phone may have been hacked

• Strange or unusual alerts and pop-ups: If you see some flashing or inappropriate content and ads or adult and X-rated content popping up on your phone, it indicates that your phone may be hacked.
• Text, messages, or some calls that you have not made: If you encounter some text messages or demands that you didn’t make on your own, your phone could also be hacked. It is the best way to clear your doubts regarding the question, of how to know your phone is hacked.
• Higher than expected usage of mobile data: There can be many more reasons for a sudden increase in mobile data usage. But if the behavior of your phone stays the same for a long period of time, it’s time to research. Apps you don’t recognize or remember downloading on your smartphone: New smartphones often accompany some popular pre-downloaded files and apps. However, if you encounter some new folders and apps shooting up after you buy the smartphone, there are chances that malware or hacking is involved.
• Battery drainage suddenly increased: If you are noticing that your phone’s battery is draining faster than normal, it could be a sign that your phone has been hacked. However, if your phone has not been hacked and this is still happening, you need a new phone.
• Your phone becomes hot– Along with the battery drainage, your phone also becomes hot while using. It could be possible that your Internet connection and data are being used more rapidly than usual.
• Unusual activity on social media accounts- If you notice unusual activity on your social media or email accounts that are linked to your phone, it could indicate that a hacker has gained access to the device, which could lead to identity theft.
• No messages or calls– If you are no longer receiving calls or messages, the hacker must have obtained a clone of your SIM card from the service provider.
• Poor performance of mobile phones– Sometimes, your phone starts loading pages very slowly and crashes while using some websites. According to research, the phones that are hacked do not shut down properly. If you also face delays while sending and receiving texts, it is also a sign of a phone hack.

It would help if you took care of these small things to keep your phone away from any hack and clear your doubts regarding how to know your phone is hacked. Hackers can have access to the target phone in multiple ways. For example, some of the ways that allow hackers to gain access are:

1. Downloaded an inappropriate or degraded app

• To restrict downloading a wrong or inappropriate app that may have a virus and give hackers a chance, only selected apps should be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
• You must always confirm the developer list of the applications that you are downloading. It is a must to check all the details of the corresponding app. For example, if you are downloading Gmail, the application should be listed under Google LLC.
• Make sure to read the reviews of the app. The maximum feedback should be favorable for installation.

2. If you have clicked on an inappropriate link

• If you notice an email from someone you don’t know, don’t click on any of the attached links or download attachments. There’s a chance they may consist of some virus that can enhance hacks.
• If you’re doing online browsing and are available across a link you think could also be inappropriate or suspicious, make sure to check it before clicking.

3. What to do if your phone is hacked?

If you are wondering how to know whether your phone is hacked or not, there are some essential steps you’ll have to follow. It is always recommended to let your contact know that your phone has been hacked. It would be best to make them aware not to click any links or attachments sent from their phone.

4. How to protect yourself?

• Delete suspicious apps
  Downloading an inappropriate and suspicious app can invite viruses onto your smartphone. As soon as you discover that your phone has been hacked, you should delete all the third-party source links present in your smartphone.
  
  
• Make sure to run anti-malware software on your smartphone.
  A trustworthy anti-malware software can help you identify and get rid of any malware that has erupted in your smartphone. It would be best if you used anti-malware software regularly to protect your smartphone.
  
  

  7. Make sure to download an antivirus app– An antivirus app can help you prevent any hack on your smartphone. It is an essential step that you need to follow to protect all the necessary information in your smartphone. Never forget to install an antivirus app on your smartphone.

  8. Never use a public network or Wi-Fi– Always avoid using any public Wi-Fi network. You can never be totally sure if these networks are safe or not. Many hackers attack the target phone with the help of these public networks. Always make sure that your Wi-Fi is switched off when it is not required.

  9. Make sure to configure your Bluetooth setting– Make sure that your device is set as ‘Non-discoverable’ in its specific Bluetooth settings. If you don’t put your device as non-discoverable, it is more prone to attack hackers. Just like Wi-Fi, make sure that your Bluetooth is switched off when not in use.

  10. Avoid rooting your device– Never root your device. We all know that rooting has benefits, but it also makes your device more prone to cyber-attacks.

  11. Keep your software and operating system up to date- It is always recommended to keep the device’s operating system and apps as secure as possible. This can be achieved with the help of regular updates and checking. You should install all the latest updates as soon as possible for all the applications on your smartphone. Some people think that updates are always to improve the front-end and appearance of the application. Therefore, they do not bother to install the updates at the right time.

  Every user needs to understand that updates also improve the security of your application and the device. Software and backend developers regularly work to get rid of bugs and enhance the security of applications. Hackers always look for a bug to access the target phone. Therefore, it becomes essential for us to install all the updates at the right time and learn about how to know your phone is hacked.

  10. Additional Tips to Protect Your Phone from Hackers

  Here are some additional tips for you to protect your smartphone from hackers.

  • A solid password for protecting your cloud storage apps- Cloud storage apps include Google Drive, Google Docs, iCloud, etc. Make sure to add a password for all the cloud storage applications.
  • Avoid using public networks and charging ports- Hackers can also use public piers (and juice jacking) to get access to your data and break into your device.
  • Make sure to disable the “smart unlock” feature- Some mobile devices unlock the smartphone automatically through intelligent features. It can be very risky as hackers can easily bypass your smartphone by using this feature.
  • Make sure to Disable the “Allow Siri When Locked” function- Navigate to Settings > Siri and Search > Disable the Allow Siri When Locked feature. Earlier, some bugs in the iPhone allowed any person to bypass the screen lock using Siri.
  • Password to protect important files, folders, and apps- You can use apps like Folder Lock for this purpose and add an extra security layer to your folders and files.

  Conclusion

  Hackers and other cyber criminals know all the details about the hacking process and the process that a person needs to follow to access the target phone. If a person can get access to your phone, he or she can do a lot of damage and destroy your reputation. The idea of getting your smartphone hacked is hazardous.

  It would be best if you were innovative while clicking on all the links and downloading the applications on your smartphone. It is a must for every person to learn how to know their phone is hacked. A hacker can also sell your personal information to other persons. In this article, we have cleared all your doubts about knowing someone is hacking your phone. Protecting systems from hackers is also a popular job in the market and there is a lot of demand for such people.

  ALSO READ

  • What Is Privilege Escalation? Simplified In 6 Points
• Reset your phone
  You can quickly get rid of all the malware in your smartphone by resetting it. The rest of your smartphone will also erase all your data and files. But it is also essential to prevent any hack into your smartphone. You can back up all your data before resetting it.
  
  
• Try to alter some essential passwords
  As soon as you find out that your device has been hacked, you should change the important passwords. This will keep your accounts and personal data safe.
  
  
• Activate the multi-factor authentication on your smartphone
  This is the most important step to perform when you find out that your phone has been hacked. Some popular apps such as Facebook, Google, and Instagram have this feature. You can find the multi-factor authentication in the settings section of your phone.

Follow the instructions given below to reset your iPhone or Android.

Follow these steps for resetting an iPhone.

1. Suppose you have a MacBook or Mac.
2. First, connect your iPhone to your laptop.
3. Select the option of your device on your screen.
4. Select the option of Restore iPhone from the screen.
5. For more help, you can visit Apple support.

Follow these steps for resetting an Android phone.

The instructions for resetting an android phone can depend on the manufacturer. You can visit your Android phone manufacturer’s website to know the steps to reset your android phone. Most android phones have the option of resetting in the setting menu. You can also visit Google support to learn more details.

Change your passwords

There are also chances that your login information was hacked at the time of sign-up. Hackers use the login information to hack into your bank accounts. Make sure to remove the malware and virus and reset all your passwords.

5. Who would hack your phone?

There is much hacking software that is available online for android phones. This software can quickly help a person to hack and get information from your phone. However, some severe and professional hackers also pay some amount to gain access to the hacking software. Not all hackers need the target phone physically. Many software allows a hacker to access the target phone through an online process. Therefore, you should do research and learn about the details of how to know your phone is hacked by someone.

6. Ways your phone can be hacked

Some of these ways are-

Keylogging- Key logging includes downloading a spyware application to the target phone and accessing the data of the phone through encryption. This type of software is used when you have the target phone physically.

Trojan– Trojan refers to a type of malware software installed in the phone and is used to extract some critical data from the target phone. A hacker can extract credit card information, debit card information, or other personal information. Hackers use techniques such as phishing to install Trojan malware inside the target phone.

Adaptive Mobile– This hacking method is more complex than phishing because it targets a SIM card by sending a symbol to the target device. If the message is opened and clicked, hackers can spy on the hacked device and even determine certain information.

Phishing– Phishing refers to the hackers’ method in which they impersonate a company name or a trustworthy person to get information about some personal data. Hackers usually use this method by sending official and formal-looking codes, emails, and messages. When the target person clicks on this link or email, the hackers get access to your phone. The URL or link that the email contains is infected with a virus that gives access to the target phone.

Hacking through a Mobile Phone Number-To be ready to hack by utilizing a telephone number, you want to understand phone hacking’s technicalities. SS7 signaling refers to the system that won’t connect telephone networks, but to use this technique to hack phones, one must have access to it. Recording calls, forwarding calls, reading messages, and finding specific device locations are often with the help of an SS7 system.

Hacking of a phone camera– We all prefer video calls with our friends and family members. However, we must keep in mind that webcams are most prone to getting hacked. The front-facing webcam in your phone is at most risk. Hackers are able to record videos, take pictures, your address, and other confidential information with the help of webcam hacking.

Spying apps– There are a huge number of phone spying applications that are specially made to track a person’s location. These apps can also record the person’s communication. Usually, these apps are used by parents to keep an eye on their children. There are many cases in that these apps are being used by hackers to get the personal data of the target phone. Such apps also extract emails, text messages, and the internet history of a person. Hence, these apps allow a hacker to get every kind of information about a person.

USB Charger– When connected to a computer via a USB cable, your mobile phone can receive data from the computer. If your computer is hacked or compromised, a hacker can send malware to the cellphone as soon as it is connected, this can result in a phone hack.

Interception via public Wi-Fi– A hacker can create a hotspot that appears like a legitimate public WiFi connection. The same is used to intercept data from your mobile phone.

7. Prevent your phone from getting hacked

Hackers can use several ways to get into your phone and steal your personal data for illegal use. Here are a couple of tips to make sure that you are not a victim of phone hacking:

1. Turn off WIFI and Bluetooth-It is relatively easy for hackers to access the phone using WIFI or Bluetooth. Make sure that you turn the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off when you don’t need them.
2. Always have your phone safe in your hands-The best method for a hacker to hack your phone’s information is to get access to the device. Therefore, it’s always essential to keep your smartphone in your possession. If you’ve been far away from your phone around a group of strangers and are concerned about possible hacking, check your settings and appearance for strange apps.

Follow these steps to set a SIM passcode on an IOS device-

• Go to Settings
• Click on the option of Cellular
• Select the option of SIM PIN.
• Enter your existing PIN
• It will enable the lock

Follow these steps to set a SIM passcode on an android device-

• Go to Settings
• Click on Lock screen and Security
• Click on other security settings
• Select the option of SIM card lock.

3. SIM Card Locking-You should use a passcode for your SIM card to prevent it from being hacked.

4. Use Security Protection: You should make sure to protect your smartphone or any other device from spyware. It can be done quickly through a mobile security app on your device.

5. Stay protected: You should do proper research to know the causes of hacking and learn about the details of how to know your phone is hacked.

8. Why do hackers hack your phone?

• To steal your identity,
• To log into your banking and payment apps and carry out some illegal financial transactions,
• To access your email account and send illegal emails in your name and identity,
• Use your data for illegal purposes,
• Use your device for third-party cyber and botnet attacks,
• To act out any personal grudge and harm your image and reputation.

9. How do I keep my smartphone secure?

You can already see that we have discussed several ways by which a hacker can steal your data. Some of them are clicking on the wrong link, downloading an app, using public networks, and much more.

Here are some more ways you will keep your phone secure.

1. Don’t forget to use a PIN or password for your lock screen– Always use a PIN or a password for your smartphone. This will add a security layer to your smartphone and prevent hackers from gaining access. You can also go for pattern locks if you face a hard time remembering your passwords.

2. Make sure to lock all the applications on your device– Using a password is not enough to prevent your phone from hacking. You should make sure to close all individual apps on your smartphone. Many smartphones come with built-in application lock facilities.

3. Always try to download the application from a trustworthy source– Make sure that you download every application from a trusted source such as the Google Play store. Make sure that you check the rating of every application that you download on your smartphone. Check all the privacy settings and policies of the application before downloading them.

4. Have a quick read on the app permissions– Make it a habit of reading the app permissions before downloading them on your phone. It is an essential step during the download process of any application. Whenever you start to download any app from the Google Play store, make sure to read all the application policy information. Make sure that you check the access settings of the applications.

5. You can download the android device manager– The Android Device Manager is one of the best applications on the Google Play store to manage your smartphone. The android device manager would help you to locate your smartphone even if you lose it. This application is beneficial in finding missing smartphones. You can also use this app to reset your smartphone and configure it properly.

6. Your smartphone must have a Google authenticator– A Google authenticator is one of the best ways to add a security layer to your accounts and smartphone. Google Authenticator is an application by Google that helps in the two-factor authentication of your smartphone. The app allows a user to obtain time-bound authentication one-time passwords and codes to log in to your accounts and smartphones. The Google authenticator can also work offline.

7. Make sure to download an antivirus app– An antivirus app can help you prevent any hack on your smartphone. It is an essential step that you need to follow to protect all the necessary information in your smartphone. Never forget to install an antivirus app on your smartphone.

8. Never use a public network or Wi-Fi– Always avoid using any public Wi-Fi network. You can never be totally sure if these networks are safe or not. Many hackers attack the target phone with the help of these public networks. Always make sure that your Wi-Fi is switched off when it is not required.

9. Make sure to configure your Bluetooth setting– Make sure that your device is set as ‘Non-discoverable’ in its specific Bluetooth settings. If you don’t put your device as non-discoverable, it is more prone to attack hackers. Just like Wi-Fi, make sure that your Bluetooth is switched off when not in use.

10. Avoid rooting your device– Never root your device. We all know that rooting has benefits, but it also makes your device more prone to cyber-attacks.

11. Keep your software and operating system up to date- It is always recommended to keep the device’s operating system and apps as secure as possible. This can be achieved with the help of regular updates and checking. You should install all the latest updates as soon as possible for all the applications on your smartphone. Some people think that updates are always to improve the front-end and appearance of the application. Therefore, they do not bother to install the updates at the right time.

Every user needs to understand that updates also improve the security of your application and the device. Software and backend developers regularly work to get rid of bugs and enhance the security of applications. Hackers always look for a bug to access the target phone. Therefore, it becomes essential for us to install all the updates at the right time and learn about how to know your phone is hacked.

10. Additional Tips to Protect Your Phone from Hackers

Here are some additional tips for you to protect your smartphone from hackers.

• A solid password for protecting your cloud storage apps- Cloud storage apps include Google Drive, Google Docs, iCloud, etc. Make sure to add a password for all the cloud storage applications.
• Avoid using public networks and charging ports- Hackers can also use public piers (and juice jacking) to get access to your data and break into your device.
• Make sure to disable the “smart unlock” feature- Some mobile devices unlock the smartphone automatically through intelligent features. It can be very risky as hackers can easily bypass your smartphone by using this feature.
• Make sure to Disable the “Allow Siri When Locked” function- Navigate to Settings > Siri and Search > Disable the Allow Siri When Locked feature. Earlier, some bugs in the iPhone allowed any person to bypass the screen lock using Siri.
• Password to protect important files, folders, and apps- You can use apps like Folder Lock for this purpose and add an extra security layer to your folders and files.

Conclusion

Hackers and other cyber criminals know all the details about the hacking process and the process that a person needs to follow to access the target phone. If a person can get access to your phone, he or she can do a lot of damage and destroy your reputation. The idea of getting your smartphone hacked is hazardous.

It would be best if you were innovative while clicking on all the links and downloading the applications on your smartphone. It is a must for every person to learn how to know their phone is hacked. A hacker can also sell your personal information to other persons. In this article, we have cleared all your doubts about knowing someone is hacking your phone. Protecting systems from hackers is also a popular job in the market and there is a lot of demand for such people.

ALSO READ

• What Is Privilege Escalation? Simplified In 6 Points