How to Know if You’ve Been Hacked: A Useful Guide

Do you feel that your device or browser isn’t working as it should? Are you afraid you’ve become a victim of malicious online hackers? Do you want a guide that can teach you how to know if you’ve been hacked?

As we go further into the age of modern technology, our dependence on tech and the internet increases. This also makes us vulnerable to cybercriminals and hackers. The thing about becoming a victim of a hacker is that you won’t know you’re a victim until it’s too late.

In this post, we’ll discuss a handful of the most common signs that you got hacked.

#1. Money in Your Online Account Is Missing

Thanks to the advancement of technology, we don’t need to carry cash all the time. Today, we can leave the house with only a card and our phones to buy groceries. We can even do our shopping without having to touch a single physical bill.

With that said, it’s alarming to find out that the money you put in your online account is missing. It’s alarming because this doesn’t only mean someone else has access to your online account. It also means they’ve withdrawn a large sum of money from your account.

In 2019, hackers stole over $4 billion from crypto crimes. This is one of the biggest signs if you want to know how to tell if you’ve been hacked. You’re lucky if the financial institution replaces the stolen funds.

Note that not all will do this, especially when the customer was irresponsible with his/her account details. The best way to avoid this is to enable transaction alerts. For every transaction made through your account, the company will send you a text alert.

#2. You Cannot Log In

Let’s say you want to get on your social media to update your family and friends about how you’re doing abroad. You’re sure you placed the correct password, so why can’t you log in? You tried to enter the password a few times already and you’ve double-checked it each time.

You still can’t log in because the site/app tells you that the password you placed is “wrong”. This is how to tell if you’ve been hacked on your social media, mail, or other accounts. It means you’ve lost access to the account, and you have no more control over what gets posted using your name.

If this happens to you, reset your password right away. Avoid easy passwords or those you use for your other accounts. To avoid this, activate two-step authentication.

#3. Your Browser Is Being Difficult

Do you see a new homepage, new toolbars, or new sites opening up on your browser? Does your browser start redirecting your search to other websites? Be wary because this is a sign of browser hijacking.

Hackers use malware to hijack your browser and access personal details. They may also use your account to access sites. Note that this can happen to you whether you use a mobile or computer device.

Don’t use a browser that’s already compromised. Instead, download a different browser and practice security measures. When you search for any web application, make sure that the developers put it through web application penetration testing.

#4. Your Account Has Online Activity You Didn’t Do

What kind of online activities show you how to know if you’ve been hacked? You may receive calls or messages from friends about your online activities. They may tell you to stop posting or sending NSFW content, even if you never did any of these.

Couple this with the fact that you can’t log in to your account anymore. It paints a much clearer picture that you’re a victim of hacking. What can you do to stop this and avoid getting hacked again?

Create a new account and use it to disclaim your other account. Let people know you got hacked so they won’t interact with your other account. Afterward, practice security measures so your new account remains safe from hackers.

#5. How to Know If You’ve Been Hacked: Slower Device

Is your computer or mobile device getting slower? Does your mouse move by itself to click things you don’t want it to click? Does your webcam light up even when you’re not using apps that enable the camera?

Check if your device is always working at full capacity. Does it run out of battery faster than usual? Is your antivirus turning off or disabling without your permission?

We have bad news, and that is you have been hacked.

The first step is to disconnect your device from the internet. Next, clean/wipe your computer. Better yet, bring it to a specialist who can do a thorough wipe.

If the problem is too big, you may need to do a factory reset. To avoid this, be meticulous with the apps or programs you download online. Better yet, download only from credible and trustworthy sources.

#6. You Receive a Lot of (Fake) Antivirus Messages

Is a message telling you that you got hacked? Don’t get fooled. In most cases, this is a message created to get you to download malware to ‘fix’ the problem.

The message may imitate an antivirus scanner before it gives the report that you’re compromised. Before you believe it or click on it, check that your message isn’t from your browser. Open your antivirus program and double-check with it.

If it’s a pop-up message, close it. If it’s on your browser, close the tab and you’re safe. Remember, most of these messages are fake and are only there to bait you into downloading malware.

Don’t believe anything that says your device got compromised unless it’s your antivirus app.

Stay Safe From Hackers

Today, even the most careful people can become a target. The key is to remain careful and to always have security measures in place. We hope these common signs help you identify the problem.

Use antivirus/antimalware and practice safe internet searching to avoid getting hacked.

That’s it for our guide on how to know if you’ve been hacked. For more helpful and informative guides like this, feel free to see our other posts as well.