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Hacking feels exactly like what it is: an invasion of your privacy. When it happens to your emails you may feel completely compromised — who can even remember the information you’ve passed back and forth with friends, family, colleagues, and business associates? The first step to addressing a hack is to identify when it happens. Nebojsa Calic, founder of CyberCrew, shares with SHEFinds.com the five scary ways to know if your emails have been hacked.
“Mobile phones became a part of our lives so much they became our extended hand,” Calic says. “We use them so extensively that we’re used to keeping the most private, and the most sensitive information on them. That’s why our phones are so interesting to malicious attackers who will, in search of credit card info, or any other information that can be used to extort money, reach out and try to take away our private information.”
Don’t panic if these signs sound familiar — Calic also provides three important steps you should take the minute you suspect your emails have been broken into.
Your battery lasts much less than it used to
“If you have your iPhone for a while, it’s normal if your battery lasts shorter than it used to, and it’s less efficient compared to when you bought it,” Calic says. “However, if your battery is drained too fast, it might be a sign there’s something in the background, and your phone privacy has been compromised. It usually doesn’t mean that hackers hacked your battery itself, but they managed to attack the other aspects of your phone that require large amounts of electricity to function. This makes the battery work overtime and heats the battery.”
Your data usage is way above the average
“Different phone users have different needs,” Calic says. “This is how some of us have some data to spare at the end of the month, while others are hitting their limit pretty fast. However, if you realize that you’re spending your data way faster than you were before, it might be a sign your phone has been hacked. In case of a malicious breach, there might be hidden software running on your phone, connecting on the internet and passing your information to third parties which are increasing your overall data usage.”
You notice someone has jailbroken your phone
“One of the most obvious signs your iPhone has been hacked is when you notice the apps you never installed presently on your iPhone,” Calic says. “This means someone managed to jailbreak your iPhone and that it has been successfully hacked.”
You are experiencing some camera issues
“Our iPhone cameras are popular targets for hackers, especially now when the popularity of video calls has increased,” Calic says. “If you notice that someone else is using your camera - for instance, if you find some pictures in camera roll you don’t remember taking - it’s a sign your iPhone has been hacked.”
Okay, so some of these scary signs sound familiar and you’re worried your email has been hacked. What do you do?
To prevent hackers from inflicting any more damage, Calic recommends the following three steps:
Change your passwords as soon as possible. Make sure to use longer passwords and make them complex, using both numbers, signs, lower and upper case letters.
Turn off Wi-Fi and your mobile data when you’re not using them to prevent hackers from running when you’re not paying attention. Also never use a public hotspot and be careful when you use the coffee shop’s WiFi.
Delete any suspicious app you find on your phone. Furthermore, it’s important to use only the apps and sites you trust to avoid getting hacked.
