We live in a world where Big Tech Giants promise to revolutionize our lives through cutting-edge technology and latest innovations, but with the positives here comes some negatives as well which is Hacking of Computers. We as a common person only think of technology bringing fruitful results to our lives, and this is where Cybercriminals take unfair advantage of our innocence. On the other side of the computer screens, there are sometimes Hackers sitting and using unethical practices to gain an unauthorized access to our personal information which is the ultimate goal of Hacking. Now here is a question, what is the advantage of stealing someones personal information?
As in this world, nothing is done without any gain, so same applies to Hackers as well. Cyber thieves steal victims’ financial or personal information through a variety of different tactics, including using malware, phishing attacks, and brute-force attacks. They then Misuse the Data to carry out financial fraud by making fraudulent purchases or transferring money to their (hackers’) bank account. But this is not the end as Cybercrooks have multiple negative intents.
When trying to identify whether your Computer System has been hacked or not specially when you are not aware of the tricks used by these malicious thieves, it can be very hard to do so. But, if you know How to Determine the Top 12 Signs that Your Computer System Is Under Attack, you can tell almost easily if your system has been compromised. And this is exactly what we are going to do here.
The Top 12 Signs that Your Computer System Can Be Hacked Anytime
In this article, we are going to discuss The Top 12 Ways to Help You Identify if You Have Been Hacked and your online privacy is compromised.
1. Spam Antivirus Messages:
If you receive any antivirus messages showing your system is under threat, it is one of the clear signs that you are already hacked. Unfortunately, by the time when people receive such messages, the hackers have already bypased their system and there is nothing much left to do. Even if you try to stop the spread of the virus now by using your antivirus software, it is not going to impact for better.
2. Fake Browser Toolbars:
Another sign that your device has been hacked is the presence of an unwanted or spam toolbar in your browser. You will see different new toolbars with different names that show tools to be very handy but malicious in reality.
Bonus Tip: If you have not installed such tools on your browser, do not click on those toolbars unless they are from a well-known source. Dump the toolbar.
3. Automatically Redirected Searches:
There are many hacking companies or spam software that rely on pay-per-click (PPC) for their growth. If you open a website that is automatically redirecting you to another webpage that is not where you want to go, then that site might contain many such hacking tools. These hackers make their living by getting paid with each click on an unwanted website. Often, these pages contain click baits as well to intrigue you to click on them and as a result introduce malware into your system.
4. Random Recurring Pop-ups:
One of the most annoying signs that assures that there is an intruder in your device is the irritatingly frequent pop-ups. When you start receiving malicious pop-ups that you don’t normally receive while using a website, know that your system has been hacked. Oftentimes, popular websites like YouTube also contain pop-ups or ads that play automatically but these can be skipped and are from well-known brands. They are merely using a platform for their promotion and mean no harm to your device. You need not worry about them as you will only receive them while you are on that website and even these ads can be blocked by using an extension if you find them irritating.
5. Your Email Account Sends Fake Emails to Your Contacts:
Even though this is not a very ideal scenario, it is comparatively safer than many. If your friends receive bogus emails from your email address, it is quite possible that someone is trying to hack into your contact list through your email id and luring others into the scam as well. Such emails contain different click baits as well such as the ‘good news that your friend has won a lottery and must provide their details for the next step’. Rest assured that such emails are only baits meant to lure in the person in order to get their details and then hack into their system.
Besides, these emails were high on the rise a decade ago where people did not have much awareness about these tactics and fell prey to these scenarios. In case you find yourself in such a scenario, there is not much to worry about but inform your friends about the scam to ensure their safety.
6. All Your Online Passwords Change Suddenly:
If you have not changed your passwords in a while and you discover your passwords to be changed all of a sudden, it is confirmed that your account or even your device has been hacked. In situations like these, you most probably receive a code or an OTP asking you to send it back to them. And if you oblige to such responses, then hackers get this whole authority of changing your account password and log you out from accessing it. The hackers will then have all your log-in information, your recently changed passwords, and other information that will leave you with very thin chances of recovery. If it’s your Google account that has been compromised, then they can access all your media including your pictures from there as well as all the data is mostly linked to your Google account.
7. Unanticipated Installation of Software:
Unanticipated software that you did not intend to install on your computer but somehow are there on your device now is a clear indication that you have been hacked. Most malware these days are like worms that install themselves hitched on another software. When you install a software, you might not know but it may contain some Trojans that take a piggyback ride on the software program in order to better hide and then, later on, are installed in your system. It is important that while installing any software, you read the license agreements carefully to avoid such a situation.
8. Your Mouse Starts Moving on Its Own and Makes Deliberate Selections:
If you experience your cursor moving on its own, it may be due to some hardware issue in your device but if the movements are deliberate and your mouse makes clear selections on its own, then it is quite evident that you have been hacked. However, it is unlikely that the hackers will do that while you are online. Most hackers wait for idle situations when the computer is not being used to make such moves in order to avoid discovery.
9. Your Antivirus Software Disables on Its Own:
In case you try to start your antivirus software and it refuses to respond, there is a chance you have been hacked. To make sure, try to start your Task Manager or Registry Editor as well. If both do not respond or respond in a reduced state then it is most likely the doing of a malware.
10. Your Money Keeps Disappearing from Your Bank Account:
When your account is hacked, the motive behind this unauthorized access, in most cases, is stealing. When you get hacked, the Cyber thieves are not after a single coin but huge robbery of your money . They will most likely make big transactions or transfers to foreign accounts that are hard to trace. In case your money keeps disappearing or a load of money disappears in a single shot, contact your bank to tally the situation and know that you have been hacked.
11. You Get Calls Concerning Non-payment of Shipped Goods:
Most of the time when hackers choose not to make big transactions, they make online purchases using your personal information. The payment method will most likely contain your credit card information and the goods are shipped to another address (most likely the hackers). These shipments are made in large amounts and as the transactions push through, your funds will not be sufficient enough to make the payments. As a result, you will face the consequences.
12. Your Personal Data Gets Leaked:
The most common sign of hacking these days is the leaking of confidential data from a person’s device. The hackers can access your media, calls, contacts, and even your message conversations. If they find anything that is valuable to them and threatening to you, they may leak such information either to blackmail you or defame you. In a scenario like this, it is quite clear that your data leakage is due to a hacking episode.
Conclusion
Now this article has informed you about How to Identify the Top 12 Signs that Your System Is Going to Be Attacked, so you must be cautious every time you use the computer. To put forth this article, it took us a lot of efforts. So we hope you would have loved reading this article. If you want to say something, you can share your feedback in the comments section.
