How to Check If Your Phone has Spyware or Hacked?

The latest news on Pegasus row has again put the netizens in the dilemma of their cybersecurity in and around their daily activity via the internet especially over their smartphones.

These spying apps and tools by their very nature hide inside the devices and cannot be easily found, there are signs that you can look for which tell you that you may be spied upon or your phone has been hacked.

Here are 10 signs which may help you identify if your phone has spyware or is hacked:

The battery is draining faster than usual

If your phone's battery is draining faster than usual, malware and fraudulent apps may be using malicious code that tends to drain a lot of power. However, before you jump to a conclusion, check the number of apps running in the background. Too many apps running in the background also eat battery. So, first, close them and then monitor.

See apps you didn't download

You notice apps on your smartphone that you don't recognize or are sure you didn't download. This could be the work of a hacker or spyware.

Your phone has become slow

Your smartphone has suddenly become slow. It acts sluggish and uses way more resources and battery power. There may be stealth malware in the background.

Mobile data usage sees a spike

Your data usage has suddenly gone up. It is higher than normal. Malicious apps or software might be consuming your mobile data in the background as they track what your activities are.

Phone acting strangely

Your smartphone is acting weird. Apps crash unexpectedly or fail to load. Many sites look different than they usually do. This may be another telltale sign.

Strange pop-ups everywhere

You are noticing lots of pop-ups appearing on your screen this may be due to adware, a type of malicious software that inundates your device with ads. Never click on such links.

Notice photos and videos in your gallery that you don't remember taking

You see photos and videos in your photo gallery that you don't remember taking. Be on the guard, as it's a sign that someone may have control over your camera.

Flash lighting on

The flash lighting goes on even when you are not using your phone is another sign to look out for. This may be because someone is remotely controlling your device.

Your phone gets hot

Phones can heat up during prolonged periods of use, like while gaming for hours, running navigation apps etc. However, if your phone is getting very hot even when you don't use it, there are good chances that hackers are at work

See log of texts or calls not made by you

You notice text or calls in your log that were not sent or made by you. See a lot of gibberish and unusual characters there. This is another likely sign.

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