Is my phone hacked android? If your Android phone is slow, frequently displays pop-up windows, or hangs, it may be hacked! Of course, diagnosing this is not easy, and in this article we will explain how to investigate it and what steps you need to take.
These days we all have a smartphone that takes over and runs almost everything in our lives. Therefore, it is very important to keep this device safe and free of any viruses.
If you feel that your phone is malfunctioning, you should use the following tips to check for malware, fraudulent programs, and other problems that may have arisen. In the following, we will explain how to maintain the security of your mobile phone after fixing the problem so that you do not have such a problem again.
How do we know is my phone hacked android?
1- Low battery or high consumption
Even if you do not see clear signs of suspicious events, something destructive may still be happening behind the scenes! One of the best ways to tell if your phone is being hacked is to check your battery.
If your phone gets hot for no reason, that is, even when it is not charging or the screen is off, something may be running in the background. But fortunately, even the most sophisticated malware leaves its mark on your phone or tablet. So start by looking at the battery consumption menu.
Go to Settings> Battery> Battery Usage and see if you encounter an unknown application or something unusual ?!
This usually does not happen because Google has a comprehensive Google Play Protect system on Android. But we still recommend that you do this review. Because there are some unknown programs called “10214” that destroy up to 40% of the battery charge or Miscellaneous programs that are worse and drain about 70% of your battery!
In this scenario, we probably have a keylogger or virus that hides its name to prevent it from being found. Be careful not to just look for weird letters, because we’ve seen perfectly normal programs that do the same thing. Programs that are installed spontaneously and we did not install them consciously. So look for anything that consumes a lot of battery.
We all use our phones differently, but if you notice the battery draining too fast, this is a concern. You can restart your phone, close the suspicious software, and delete the program completely if possible. If your battery is draining too fast and you suspect that your phone has been hacked, then be sure to do this check!
Check for programs that are installed automatically
Another sign of malware or phone hacking is that programs have been installed on it unintentionally and automatically. In fact, these are programs that you have not installed yourself and are not aware of.
Improper apps or sites can install add-ons on your phone and steal sensitive information.
So do not ignore this, as it is likely that your device has been hacked. Sometimes, these programs do not consume much battery, but cause security damage and depletion of your data. If you encounter one of them, we will tell you how to get rid of it.
Go to Settings> Apps> App Manager and check the list of apps on your phone. Sometimes you have to tap on each app to see them all. Tap anything you do not want and select Uninstall.
Of course, you should only delete items that seem suspicious and you know do not matter. If you accidentally delete apps, you may do more harm than good and destroy vital components of your phone!
There are many programs that are pre-installed and harmless by the developers or operators. So be careful what you delete.
3- Abnormal and abnormal consumption of mobile phone data
Most people use unlimited or bulky internet packages and therefore do not look at the Data Usage menu in the settings at all. But if your Android is not working properly and you want to see if your phone has been hacked, this is another easy way to check.
If the phone has a virus, it may send your private data to a third party through a program that runs permanently.
To find out, go to Settings> Connections & WiFi> Data Usage and do a little searching.
YouTube, Spotify and other streaming services use a lot of data. But if you see another program that uses too much data, it’s a waste of time! No regular app should use more than 5 GB per month, so here you should be looking for one that consumes abnormally.
If you find something you think is suspicious, delete it (after making sure it is not necessary for your device).
4. Beware of weird poppies and propaganda
Pop-up windows may come to your phone in different shapes and sizes, at different times and from a variety of websites. We have learned to deal with them. Most of the time, though, they have nothing but plain advertising content.
But sometimes, these poppies can be dangerous and cause you trouble. Beware of pop-up windows or weird ads that look fun and interesting and never click on them.
Google has made several changes over the past few years to prevent such things, especially in the Google Chrome browser on Android. But these cases are still seen. Usually, as each pop-up pops up, your cell phone vibrates, and sometimes your screen lights up. But you should know that this is completely fake and deceptive, so never tap the Remove button. Instead, close your entire web browser and restart your smartphone.
Never enter your personal information as well as your credit card or password information where you do not know it.
5- Continuous and unexplained failure of programs and phones
Another symptom that may indicate that your Android phone has been hacked is that its big and small problems will never be solved! Often, Android phones start to work erratically, for example, apps open for no reason, the phone slows down or crashes constantly. Sometimes, these problems are caused by a virus.
First, try the Google Play Protect Scanner, which is located directly in the Google Play app. Open Google Play and tap the menu button at the top of the screen. Then scroll down to the middle of the Play Protect screen and press Scan to start scanning your phone and apps.
Keep in mind that Play Protect is a very basic tool, so you should also use a more powerful alternative, such as Malwarebytes Security, which is one of the best programs to detect phone hacking.
There are dozens of antivirus and security programs in the Google Play Store, but we recommend that you use reputable brands and emails and not just install the first option that appears. Look for well-known brands such as Avast, AVG or BitDefender that you have used in your computers.
These tools are great for quickly and easily scanning your device to fix these problems. Usually, if Malwarebytes finds something, it will remove it for you. You can download Malwarebytes Security for free.
If necessary, reset your phone
If the problems persist after removing the suspicious programs and installing the antivirus software, the last attempt is to reset your phone.
Remember that this process completely removes everything from your phone, so back up your photos, text messages, videos, and anything else you want to keep, and then reset your phone. To do this, go to Settings> Backup & Reset (or Security)> Reset> Factory Data Reset.
Only resort to factory reset if you have tried all other ways. Because this process destroys everything and your phone becomes like the first day you received it and you will have to reinstall and reset everything. But without a doubt, security is worth a little effort!
How to keep your Android phone safe?
In 2019, Google confirmed that there are more than 2.5 billion Android devices, making it the number one operating system in the world, and therefore a major target for hackers. Hacking on Android phones can take the form of pop-up windows, fake ads, installed apps that you have not approved, high internet costs, battery drain, and more. In fact, hackers are more creative when they have a large audience.
Vigilance and caution can prevent security breaches. Here are some things you can do to stay safe:
- Stay up to date and always install the latest software updates for your phone and apps.
- Get apps from reputable sources only.
- Disable or uncheck Install from Unknown Sources in settings.
- Use a fingerprint, eye scan, password or PIN to secure the lock screen.
Be careful to keep your phone safe
Only install apps from trusted sources such as Google Play Store, Amazon App Store or Samsung Galaxy apps, and know that websites that offer Android APK files are not your friend. Therefore, do not install these files under any circumstances.
In fact, the main solution to keep your smartphone safe is just to be careful and use common sense.
