Everyday you surf the internet, whichever broadband you use fibre or wireless broadband, whichever browser you are prone to hack attacks. Can a smartphone that we only use to make calls, send messages and browse social networks be infected? Unfortunately, there are many threats lurking on the Internet.  

While some people want to take preventative measures and learn how to check if their phone has been hacked, others may have experienced some alarming symptoms. All phone viruses can be detected and, more importantly, effectively removed so that nothing is lost.

However, you need to act quickly, so here’s how to check if your phone has a virus and how to get rid of it effectively.

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Infected phone: symptoms that can be alarming 

A smartphone is at least as likely to be infected as a computer. Just like computers, an infected phone produces symptoms that should alert us. In addition, a well-written phone virus can work secretly for a long time and cause great damage.  

The most common signs that a phone may have been hacked are overheating, slower performance or freezing and spontaneous shutdown.  

In addition, caution may also be needed: 

Rapid battery drain; 

Unauthorised changes to phone, browser or app settings; 

frequent pop-up ads and irritating advertisements; 

rapid consumption of data transfer; 

Devices that close spontaneously or suddenly appear on your phone when you have not installed them; 

Files you have saved on your phone disappear; 

new contacts appear that you have not saved; 

your browser does not function properly, redirects you to suspicious websites or displays their content incorrectly; 

your phone bill is suspiciously high or all your money has disappeared from your account; 

your friends have received suspicious text messages from you; 

Unfortunately, there are many more similar symptoms, so it makes sense to ask the question: How can I check my phone for viruses and what should I do if my suspicions are confirmed? 

A hacked phone: what to do? 

First of all, you need to know how to scan your phone to find the source of the problem. More advanced users can find the virus manually. For those who are not so familiar, the best solution is to install an antivirus program that quickly detects and removes the malware.  

Also get rid of suspicious applications. Check the list of all the apps installed on your smartphone and uninstall those that are not installed. If the hacked phone doesn’t turn on, try turning it on in emergency mode.

Infected phone: what can you do?

Turn off WiFi and mobile data transmission to cut off cybercriminals’ access to your smartphone. Immediately change all passwords for important apps (especially banking apps) and create a new strong password to connect to the wireless network from any broadband deal possible.  

It is also important to reset the hacked phone to factory settings. Antivirus software has a limited domain and cannot always detect malware. However, remember that you will lose all data on your phone. Even worse is copying photos or files stored on your computer, as this can transfer the virus to another device.  

An infected phone is a source of problems 

At first glance, it may seem that a phone infected with a virus works much more slowly. A virus on a smartphone can lead to many unpleasant consequences for the user. After all, hackers need to make a tangible profit by hacking someone’s phone. 

The consequence of infection is usually the disappearance of small amounts of money from the account. This includes paid subscriptions, premium services of any kind or calls to unknown numbers without your authorisation, for which you have to pay.  

Another possibility, no less problematic, is the theft of login data. A hacker with access to your bank account can access the money in your account at any time. Especially if they manage to check the messages you receive authorising large transfers.  

How can you prevent your phone from being hacked?

We’ve already explained how to check your phone for viruses and what to do if your suspicion is confirmed. However, it’s best to follow some general rules to minimise the risk of your phone being hacked.

Recently, there was a high-profile case where fake SMS from BigSmart Calls led to phishing scams. Therefore, never open suspicious links received via SMS or email as you risk receiving malware.  

If you install apps, only do so from a verified source, for example from the Google Store or App Store. It is also important to choose apps that have many positive reviews, i.e. that have been downloaded and verified by many users. Unfortunately, an authorised source does not always mean security, as the recent scandal with infected apps in the Play Store has shown.  

Be an informed user who knows and understands the risks involved, and the risk of your phone being hacked is minimal. 

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