How to fix your phone if it’s been hacked ?
Phones are increasingly becoming victims of malicious hacker attacks. Usually, software is installed on it and hijacks your information and steals your bank details. Hacking your phone can cost you a lot of money and it is therefore absolutely essential to know how to react promptly and efficiently.
What to do if my phone has been hacked ?
If your phone has been hacked, you can start by running a virus scan. If you are a victim of malware, the antivirus will probably be able to detect it and eliminate it. If the antivirus fails, you can go and check the most energy consuming applications in your task manager.
The most greedy one will often be the malware.
If you manage to get rid of the malware, make a backup of the important data on your phone. Then change the passwords of all your accounts connected to your phone. Finally, change your pin code, using your puk code if the hacking made it necessary.
If you can’t get rid of the malware or want to be sure that your phone is cleaned, reset it to factory settings to be sure.
How to know if my phone has been hacked ?
Cell phone hacking is still not widespread and users are often not well equipped to respond. The first difficulty they face is to recognize the evidence of a hacking. Here are the main criteria that should alert you:
- Your phone makes calls by itself (often from premium rate numbers)
- Your settings change for no reason
- Your phone turns itself off and on
- Your password or pin code has changed
- You can’t turn off your phone
- Your accounts are no longer accessible or a new account has been created
- Applications install themselves
- You receive a very high number of spam mails
- You hear strange interferences during your calls
Of course, there are other signs of hacking in some cases.
Is it necessary to install an antivirus on your smartphone ?
The question becomes more and more important as the number of hackers increases. Individuals want to protect themselves, but they are not sure that an antivirus is the solution. Indeed, antivirus software, whether paid or free, tends to collect and exploit a lot of personal data.
It is therefore necessary to be wary of it.
In fact, it is not nearly as important to have an antivirus on your smartphone as on your PC. If you are vigilant, you have little risk of being hacked. If you react promptly in case of hacking, the damage is always low.
Nevertheless, it can be useful to reassure yourself by downloading an antivirus.
