But what can you do if your phone has been hacked and spied on?
Risks of phone hacking
The threat that your phone may be exposed to means possessing a treasure trove of information that you may be blackmailed with financially or exposed to greater risks. The Webroot website explains that the methods of hacking and hacking smartphones take different forms, starting from attempts to access your email by cracking the password and deleting data or using and stealing bank account and credit card data, or conducting suspicious commercial transactions using them.
It is possible that direct chats with others may be hacked, and photos and videos may be used for financial or sexual blackmail, and your electronic identity may be used for illegal purposes. You can notice that your phone has been hacked from some of the signs indicated by the loginradius website, which are:
Battery life may decrease more quickly than usual, and this is inconsistent with your daily phone usage.
The device's power may be low, and it may crash or shut down suddenly, leading to slower overall performance.
The device may overheat without any external triggers.
High data usage and low device memory.
Alerts appearing from mysterious sources may indicate malware hidden on the device.
One sign that your device has been hacked is the appearance of mysterious activity on your social media pages or email that doesn't reflect your identity.
How to protect your phone from being hacked?
Smartphone security technologies that can protect your device from hacking can be relied upon, and are suggested by cybersecurity and personal information protection websites in a number of brief and straightforward points, including what was explained in an article published by LinkedIn, which focused on steps to protect the phone from hacking and maintain the confidentiality of information, which are:
1. Update your phone regularly.
Pay attention to constantly updating your phone and trusted applications, because these updates address weaknesses in your phone and make it immune to hacking or piracy attempts.
2. Use a VPN
When using an unknown internet source, such as a wireless network in a public area, it's best to rely on a virtual private network (VPN) to ensure your internet connection is secure and encrypted from unexpected hacks.
3. Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are ways to hack smartphones, especially in public places like hotels, restaurants, and airports. Therefore, it's best to disable or turn them off when not in use to prevent your device from being vulnerable to attacks facilitated by open connections.
4. Rely on trusted sources
When downloading apps and software to your device, avoid relying on untrusted or unknown stores. Instead, go to the official stores for your device, such as Google Play or the Apple Store. These stores have procedures for vetting software and applications to ensure safety and security, reducing the chances of malicious attacks and hacks.
5. SIM Card Lock
Smartphones have a SIM card lock feature that prevents it from being used except on your phone's network. This ensures that your information is not used in unauthorized ways or by others.
Best apps to protect your phone from hacking
In order to protect your phone from malware and prevent any potential hacking, it may seem difficult to discover this on your own, so there are a group of applications that can be downloaded on your phone to protect it, the most important of which are:
Phone Guardian Mobile Security App
One of the most popular apps for protecting smartphones from hacking, it is a free VPN app that works on Android and iOS systems and ensures safe browsing using wireless networks, prevents spyware and hacking programs from accessing the phone, while ensuring your privacy, providing a daily report on the use of applications and which ones are most active, and clarifying unusual activities.
Kaspersky VPN & Security
The app protects your device from viruses and hacking for free, automatically blocks malware, provides safe browsing, blocks unwanted or threatening links and ads on your phone, and detects any data leaks.
AVG AntiVirus & Security
In addition to the protection this app provides, it allows you to remain anonymous when browsing on public Wi-Fi, receive alerts if your account passwords have been leaked, and periodically scan your device for viruses or threats. The app also helps you locate a lost phone using Google Maps.
Norton 360: Mobile Security
The app features automatic blocking of specific or unknown phone numbers, protection against redirecting your phone to fraudulent websites, and removal of apps that contain viruses or pose a threat to your device.
Tips to protect your personal data on your phone
Sometimes we do intuitive things without realizing the danger they pose to our information on our phone and the life we share with a device attached to our hands. In order to avoid actions that may reveal our private data, we must adhere to the following:
Make sure to use strong passwords for your email and social media accounts.
Use two-factor authentication to log into your accounts, such as fingerprint or email verification, and enable device tracking technology.
Do not click on any links, even if they come from people you trust, as they may have been scammed as well.
Never click on any link, even if it comes from someone you trust, as they may have been scammed.
Avoid using public charging stations, as they are a common method for hackers.
Regularly delete your browsing history, cookies, and cache.
Back up your data.
Article summary
Protecting your phone from hacking ensures the confidentiality of your data and the preservation of your personal life and material belongings as well. Do not neglect to protect your phone from any possible attempts in the future.
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