How to tell if your smartphone has been hacked: 10 simple ways to identify it.

Regardless of whether it’s a high-end or budget Android phone, phishing links, malicious apps, SIM card swapping, man-in-the-middle attacks, and juice jacking can jeopardize the device. This is discussed by Android Police.

Here’s what to do to determine if your device has been compromised.

Unknown Apps

If there are random apps on the phone, it could be the work of a hacker. However, not every unknown app is malicious. Most phones come with pre-installed unnecessary apps known as bloatware.

Unusual Settings

A clear sign that a cybercriminal has accessed the device is unfamiliar settings or changes to familiar configurations. For example, if multiple apps have permissions for the microphone and camera, a hacker might be trying to monitor online activity.

Battery Drain

As smartphones age, battery performance declines. Occasionally, background updates can drain the battery faster than usual. However, if the battery is consistently discharging quickly when it didn’t before, it could be a sign of hacking.

Suspicious Login Alerts

Such alerts can indicate that the device is at risk.

When a hacker gains access to the device, they may attempt to log into social media and email accounts. This allows them to view confidential information and send messages.

Unauthorized Payments in Play Store or Bank Charges

Unauthorized payments on Google Play may indicate that malicious apps or cybercriminals have accessed financial data through your Google account.

Even if the payments are legitimate, it could mean that the hacker is using online subscriptions.

High Data Usage

If a hacker has accessed the phone, high data usage could result from running apps or browsing. Additionally, malicious apps on the phone may consume data. The only way to detect this is by monitoring data usage. If data consumption doesn’t align with browsing habits, all unfamiliar items should be removed.

Pop-up Spam Windows

Pop-ups in apps can be annoying, but they are usually harmless and sometimes useful. However, if the device is infected with malware, hackers may use adware to create pop-ups with phishing links.

Hardware or App Crashes

While these issues can be caused by hardware malfunctions, software bugs, or outdated apps, they do not rule out hacking. Removing viruses and malware from an Android phone is easy. If the malfunction is not the cause of the crashes, necessary measures should be taken to rid the phone of all malicious content.

Constant Heating

With prolonged use, especially during gaming, streaming, or video calls for extended periods, the phone will inevitably heat up. If phone usage hasn’t increased, but the device is still heating up and remains hot, hacking may be the cause.

Performance Decline

It’s normal for phones to slow down over time. However, it is abnormal for device performance to drop suddenly.

You might try restarting the device and freeing up disk space. This usually helps if the issue is related to outdated software or bugs. If performance doesn’t improve after troubleshooting, a comprehensive check can be performed to ensure that unauthorized programs or processes aren’t running in the background.

Previously, we wrote about how hackers spread the RemcosRAT virus, which gives full control over the victim's computer or laptop, revealing all passwords and allowing surveillance through the webcam.