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Can You Recognize A Hacked Computer?

Can You Recognize A Hacked Computer?

Safety and security are the main concerns of just about everybody. Whether it is physical or emotional, it is at the top of our list and you wouldn’t want it otherwise. Now that the world has become more digital, virtual security is also a big issue for us as we continue to spend more hours in front of the screen and migrate most of our activities from the real world to the web. It is inevitable for individuals to make this shift seeing the rise of the Internet of Things and that almost everything is now interconnected online. The majority of the public end up sharing too much personal information on the social media platforms and other online accounts and websites they visit than they want to, which means big trouble in the event that their device gets hacked.

Aside from that, these websites also use cookies that claim to offer the best user experience but at the same time takes too much information from you even with your consent. After all, you really don’t have an idea how they use your data even if you do take the time to read their lengthy terms of agreement because who does, right? For the past years, we have seen plenty of cybercrimes and ransomware has been the most prominent during the past year. And we now read about more malware attacks as hackers try to take advantage of your PC’s computing power to help them mine digital currencies like bitcoin and it’s not always about ransom anymore.

Unusual Activity 

The first sign that your system has been compromised is often unusual activity on your computer. This can include browser toolbars that you don’t recognise suddenly showing up, passwords no longer working, frequent pop-ups on your system or computer settings having been changed without you doing anything. These can all indicate the presence of malware on your system.

In the case that this occurs on your computer, immediately remove any toolbars you don’t recognise and scan your computer for any programs that you don’t recognise or that don’t seem legitimate. 

Internet searches redirected

Some hacking will take place because hackers are in service of a site that is paying them to generate clicks. If you are a target of this type of attack, your internet searches may begin to be redirected elsewhere. If the search results coming up do not match the term you entered, it’s likely your system has been compromised in this manner. Again, in this case, it’s useful to look for any malicious toolbar programmes and immediately disable them. 

(Via: https://www.computerworlduk.com/security/how-tell-if-your-computer-has-been-hacked-3680575/)

In case you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having a hacked device, can you tell by yourself that it is the case? Are there telltale signs to watch out for that are sure giveaways of a compromised system? These signs are different from https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/is-your-hard-drive-making-a-clicking-noise/ that usually signals a hardware issue rather than a breach in your security. Hackers have become really ingenious in hacking other people’s devices, whether it is owned by an average person or that belonging to big companies and organizations. Hackers do these attacks in the form of Phishing, SmiShing, malware, skimming, and ransomware attacks that are so common these days and affect people of all walks of life.

If you suspect that your computer has been compromised by a hacker, some steps that may help towards recovery include:

Download the latest antivirus product from a reputable source and scan your computer for malware and viruses. Detecting and eliminating malware is a first step in recovery. This is not a cure-all, but a good start.

Reset all of your online passwords. Change your passwords from a different device, one that you are confident has not been hacked. Some post-hack malware can alert the hacker of activity on the keyboard of the compromised device and can even capture your new passwords to share with the bad actors.

Reset the Personal Identification Number (PIN) for your accounts. Similar to password changes, use a device you are confident has not been hacked to change PINs associated with each account.

(Via: https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2018/03/02/you-ve-been-hacked-seven-tips-to-help-detect-and.html)

Be wary of these signs because they could be indicative of a hack. Anytime you notice something is off with your system, always check out what could this possibly be and what the cause is before the problem blows up more than you can handle.

You can always prevent these situations from happening by installing the latest anti-virus software or firewall for your device. Knowing that your device is infected is the first step to overcoming this problem. If possible, regularly update your passwords. With the prevalence of online banking, these hacks are even more troublesome but don’t hesitate to contact your bank in case a hacking happens because you don’t want to lose any of your hard-earned money to nameless people behind the screen. Big businesses even have to go to the extent of https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/raid-recovery/ because some hacks end up wiping away all their data that they’d rather for a pricey data recovery service in order to keep their business going.