How To Protect My Iphone From Hackers

Scientists discovered that a hack happens on average every 39 seconds – and that was back in 2017. That number is constantly changing for the worse, especially when you consider that hacking – and thus phone hacking – grew by 11% between 2018 and 2019 . Some of those hackers will be targeting your smartphone or tablet.

But how can you know if your phone is hacked? And how can you protect yourself from being hacked in the future? This article is here to answer these questions.

How to tell if your phone has been hacked

Phone slows down, heats up, or drains the battery
Your contacts receive messages you never sent
Increased mobile data usage or phone bill
Unknown apps or uninstalled antivirus software
Your phone settings change mysteriously
Phone reboots, may not shut down at all, or acts bizarrely
Purchases you did not make on your credit card

Android devices are more susceptible to hacks, but iPhones aren't entirely safe either. So stay on the lookout for these signs above. They are the most common symptoms that will let you know that your mobile device has been hacked. Individually, they don't necessarily indicate that a hack took place, but if your phone shows several of them, you can tell that your phone has a virus or has been the target of a hack. We're going to explain the why's and how's now.

Your device is slowing down or heating up, or draining the battery for no reason

There are several reasons why your phone could slow down, heat up, or start gobbling up energy.

On the other hand, if you haven't carried out any OS (Operating System) updates recently and you're not running any resource-intensive apps, you should start worrying. This may be a sign that there's malware running in the background . For example, hackers may be using your phone to mine cryptocurrency, which is a resource-intensive process.

That's why you should check which apps are running, how much memory they're using, and how much free space exists on your device. If you can't find the reason, you have had your phone hacked.

Your contacts receive messages you never sent

If your phone is hacked, malware the hackers left on your phone may use your email, instant messaging services, and text messages to spread itself to your contacts. They usually send messages in your name and attach a link or a file that would infect other devices. If someone complains to you about something suspicious you sent, start looking into it – it may be that your phone has been hacked!

Your data usage increases without you doing anything, or there's a spike in your phone bill

Unexpected increases in data use could mean that your phone was hacked to transmit data; for instance, it may be using your phone's resources to mine cryptocurrency or stealing your photos. It may also mean that a hacker is spying on you. Check your app data usage and see which app could be blamed for that. If there are anomalies, you can tell that your phone has been hacked.

You may also notice that your phone bill has increased – yet you don't remember making that many calls. It would be a sign to check your records for numbers that you didn't call. If you find any, your phone might have been hacked, and criminals may be using it as a proxy.

Also, be aware of strange background noises and interference during phone calls. It may be a sign of weak reception. However, it may also show that your call is being tapped , and someone is spying on you by listening to your calls.

You notice a new app you didn't install and/or the antivirus software has been uninstalled

Finding suspicious apps means that somebody – a hacker, abusive spouse, or someone else – has installed spyware on your phone. Your antivirus software disappearing may be the effect of a virus protecting itself – malware sometimes uninstalls antivirus software. If you didn't do it yourself, it's one of the ways you can tell that your phone is hacked.

Your phone settings change mysteriously

If your phone was physically accessed, the culprit might have changed the settings manually. If you notice that, for example, your Bluetooth is on despite you not using it, it may be a sign of a malicious app using it to infect other devices or to gain access to your personal data.

Phone reboots without reason, may not shut down at all, or acts bizarrely

It's bad if your phone restarts without any warning, doesn't shut down, or is opening apps and calling people on its own. Software errors may be the cause of that. It may also be a sign that your phone is hacked.

Purchases that you did not make show up on your credit card

This could indicate some other form of credit card fraud, but a hacked phone is one way a thief can get around fraud protection. It's also worth checking your phone if your bank informs you that they blocked a suspicious transaction.

How to know that my SIM card is hacked (5 signs)

Cloning, swapping, or hacking a SIM card is harder to carry out than just hacking a phone and gives fewer benefits to the hacker, but it can still happen. Here are some ways to tell if your SIM got hacked:

You received a request to restart your phone: SIM hacking techniques eventually need you to restart your phone. So be suspicious of any outside requests to do so.
You're no longer receiving calls or texts: A network will not register two identical SIM cards, so if yours is hacked, you won't get calls or texts anymore . Just ask a friend to text or call you. If they come through, your card hasn't been hacked.
Unknown numbers on your bill: You can check your phone bill to see if there are any outgoing calls to numbers you don't know. Their existence may point to your SIM card having been hacked.
Losing access to your accounts : Quite a few two-factor authentication services need you to verify that it's you by entering a code you receive via text. So if you can't access these accounts and texts aren't coming through, your SIM card has been hacked.
Location tracker shows different locations: A rookie hacker may not disable the Find My iPhone for iOS or Google's Find my Device for Android. In that case, these services will show your phone to be somewhere else entirely than where you are.

How to find out who hacked your phone

Finding out who hacked your phone depends on the hack. If it was a link in an email or if you were hacked using vulnerabilities of jailbroken iPhones and unofficial Androids, then it is impossible to tell who did it.

Now, if you found one of the approved spy apps that comes from either the Google Play Store or Apple app store installed on your phone, it had to be someone with physical access to your phone. It could be someone you know, or really anyone if you leave your phone unattended in public settings. But if the culprit did it without logging into any of their own accounts, it's hard to tell.

How can I protect my phone from hackers?

So now you know signs of being hacked, but how do you prevent this from happening in the first place? Here are some safety tips:

How to prevent hacking in 7 ways

Avoid public Wi-Fi and using Bluetooth
Stick to apps from the official store
Don't click suspicious links or download suspicious attachments
Install antivirus software and update it often
Only charge your phone via a secure charger
Use a PIN and never leave your phone unattended
Use a VPN

Avoid public Wi-Fi or broadcasting yourself

A free public Wi-Fi hotspot may actually be a trap. Hackers set up fake ones to steal data once you connect. You have to be careful and make sure that you're connecting to the actual, real Wi-Fi spot.

But even a genuine one could be compromised (for example, by an unscrupulous employee with access to the router). To prevent accidentally exposing your personal information in public, turn off your Wi-Fi auto-connect feature, Bluetooth, and personal hotspot functions when not in use .

Only install apps via the official app store and backup your data

Official app stores are less likely to provide malicious apps or apps that are infected with malware. Some privacy risks may still exist, but those can be avoided by being selective.

Either way, backing up your data is generally a good idea due to a phone's vulnerability to drops and whatnot. And in the case you download an infected app and need to do a factory reset, it will be easier to do if you have backed up your data and contacts.

Don't click on suspicious links in emails or social media, and never download suspicious file attachments

If a file or link looks suspicious, then it probably is. Remember that some malware spreads automatically – so strange links from your friends and relatives may be a virus trying to get in. Don't open the file or link, and inform the person it came from.

Install antivirus software and update it often

Regular antivirus apps can defeat common threats. They have to be regularly updated, just like any other app. Updates for apps and the OS both often include patches for recently-uncovered security issues.

Only charge your phone via a secure charger

USB chargers use wires and ports that can be used for data transmission. Hackers are fully aware of that, so only use your own charger and be careful with charges in rental cars . If you must use a charger you can't trust, choose the "Only Charging" option on your phone.

Use a PIN and never leave the phone unattended

A pattern lock is mostly a nuisance, and a PIN or a fingerprint scanner is a much better way to secure your phone if you let it go out of your sight. Even better: don't let it get out of your sight, and don't leave it unattended.

Use a VPN

A VPN encrypts your internet traffic. So if a hacker was to steal your data by using, say, a fake Wi-Fi hotspot, he wouldn't get anything useful. It also keeps your IP – your device's address online – safe by changing it with the IP address of the VPN server.

Here's an easy way to improve your phone's security

At this point, you should know how to tell if your phone has been hacked. But, as we stated before, it's best not to allow hackers or mobile malware on your phone in the first place. One of the most reliable ways to do that is to secure your connection with a VPN like Surfshark. Not convinced yet? Then read this independent Surfshark review here .

Martynas Klimas

Written by

Martynas Klimas

Knows as much about VPN as it is healthy for someone who isn't a VPN developer