There’s nothing worse than realizing that you’ve been attacked by hackers. All too often, we never see it coming. Before we know it, it’s too late, and our precious data has been compromised, leaving us susceptible to all sorts of dangers. The good news is that the sooner you realize you’ve been hacked, the sooner you can keep your data safe.
Here are some of the telltale signs that your computer has indeed been a victim of a cybercrime.
Cyber experts do not recommend paying the ransom under any circumstances. If you do, you’ll only encourage criminals to continue the same tricks on more victims. Instead, call the police and file a report.
Strange Pop-Ups
One of the first signs that something is fishy is you see a lot of pop-up messages. However, when these pop-up messages appear, you’re not able to click on them or close them out. In some cases, these pop-ups say that you must pay to unlock your data. This is a malicious program that is installed by hackers that locks your documents and data for ransom.
Yes, just like a kidnapping. Someone takes your data and won’t give it back unless you pay. Cyber experts do not recommend paying the ransom under any circumstances. If you do, you’ll only encourage criminals to continue the same tricks on more victims. Instead, call the police and file a report.
Unrecognized Programs
If you start to notice you have new programs or apps on your computer that you’ve never seen before, it’s important to look into it a little further. When you start seeing things that you didn’t put there, it’s a pretty big indication that someone else has been in your computer space other than you.
One of the most common ways that this happens is when you install a program and it comes with a bundle. Make sure that you read the terms carefully and opt out of any software that you don’t want to download along with your chosen program.
Your Friends Are Getting Spammed From Your Account
If your friends are starting to get spam messages from you that you didn’t send, then this is a huge red flag. Whether it’s from your email or your social media accounts, hackers are known for stealing your password and sending out spammy messages to your contact list.
So, in the event that your friends receive suspicious messages from you, it’s important they let you know right away so you can regain access to your account. Above all, let your friends know that if they receive any messages from you, not to open them as they could contain additional malicious hardware that could infect their computer.
When you start seeing things that you didn’t put there, it’s a pretty big indication that someone else has been in your computer space other than you.
Computer Acting Autonomously
If you notice that your camera starts turning on on its own, the mouse starts moving without you touching it, or programs start opening without you launching them, then this is a sign that your computer is being controlled by someone else. Known as peripheral behaviors, these can be very dangerous because someone could be monitoring you remotely from your camera or microphone.
