Pegasus row has once again brought mobile spying fears to the fore. While ordinary netizens need not fear spying tools like Pegasus, there are other hacking and spying software and apps they need to be cautious of.
While some of these apps try to steal financial information in your phone, some others try to seek complete control over the phone including photo gallery, calls, messages and more. These spying apps and tools by their very nature hide themselves 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.
1. Phone's 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 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
Source - GadgetsNow
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