How to know your Computer has been Hacked

It’s no secret that cybercrime is a growing problem. A lot of businesses have been hit by cyberattacks. One common method used by cyber criminals to access your computer and steal your personal information is hacking. They use different kinds of malware and social engineering to do this.   

Continue reading if you believe your computer has been compromised or you are unsure of your next steps. You will learn everything you need to know about computer hacking in this article, including what it is, how hackers access computers, how to spot whether your computer has been compromised, and what to do next.

Let’s dive in!

What is hacking?

Hacking is the illegal use of someone else’s computer or network resources, usually to gain access to private information. A hacker may also use a computer to attack other computers and networks in an attempt to cause damage or disruption. Although hacking is often portrayed as something negative and malicious, there is another type of hacking that’s ethical.

Ethical hacking is the practice of testing a system, network, or application to ensure it is secure, comparing actual results to expected results. Ethical hacking is used to find vulnerabilities and fix them before a malicious hacker exploits them. A hacker acts ethically when they gain permission from the owner of a system before testing it, and only uses the knowledge gained for good.

How do hackers get into my computer?

Hackers can get into your computer through a variety of methods—you just need to know what they are. One method is called phishing. Phishing is when the hacker creates a website or email account that looks like it’s from another site or company that you’re familiar with but contains malware—a virus that will infect your computer when you try to access it.

Another method is called keylogging. It is when someone installs software on your computer that records everything you type—not just on the computer where it is installed, but on any computer you use while connected online. This means that if you type in passwords anywhere—such as into your email or a banking site—a hacker could get hold of those passwords and use them against you later on.

Hackers can also gain access to your computer through:

• Websites that aren’t secured properly.
• Software that isn’t updated regularly.
• Old devices like printers and scanners with outdated firmware.
• Using the same password on multiple sites or programs.
• Being tricked (social engineering) into clicking a link or downloading a program that lets the hacker get access to your computer.

Hackers can also use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to get access to your and your friends’ computers.

Signs that your computer has been hacked

If your computer has been hacked, there are many signs you see. Here are some of the signs:

1. Check your browser history

This is a very good way to know whether your computer has been hacked or not. If you find any unwanted websites in history, you need to take some action right away. You may also notice that your browser’s homepage has changed unexpectedly or pop-ups are appearing when you navigate websites.

1. Strange email addresses in your inbox

If you find some new emails with unknown senders and content in your inbox, then you should check them carefully before opening them. Some hackers will use this method to hack your email account so that they can get your personal information and passwords from the email account and trade them on the dark web for money. They may ask for personal information such as credit card numbers and passwords (phishing).

If you don’t want to find yourself in this unscrupulous situation, then you should install a reliable anti-spam solution on your PC or laptop as soon as possible.

1. Look for unfamiliar files or folders on your computer

If there are unfamiliar files or folders on your computer, then it’s likely that there are some viruses or malware installed on it. These viruses will try their best to hack into your system and steal personal information from it without being noticed by you at all. So, if you notice such situations, don’t hesitate to remove them immediately.

1. Your computer running slower than usual

Check for the strange behavior of your computer. If you notice that your computer is acting up and not responding properly, then it might be possible that someone has hacked into it. For example, if the cursor moves on its own or if it doesn’t respond when you click on something, then such strange behavior could be due to a hacker trying to gain access to your system.

1. Changes in your computer settings

Check for changes in settings or programs on your computer. If you notice any changes in settings or programs that shouldn’t have been made by anyone else but you, then someone may have hacked into your system and changed these things without your knowledge.

What should I do if my computer has been hacked?

If you suspect that your device has been hacked, it’s important to take action as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more damage could be done to your files and personal information. Here are some steps you should take:

The first thing that you need to do after knowing that your computer has been hacked is to change all the passwords for all the accounts for which you used the same password. This way, even if someone manages to steal one of these passwords, they won’t be able to access any of your accounts because they’ll need all of them to get into them.

You also need to make sure that your antivirus software is up-to-date at all times and that it is scanning every file or program before it gets opened by any program on your computer. This way, even if someone manages to get into your computer without being noticed by other software or programs on it, they still won’t be able to do anything without being detected by antivirus software first.

Use strong passwords for everything (including email accounts). This will help ensure that no one can access your personal information without knowing your password.

Update all of your software regularly with patches and updates from their manufacturer’s website or from the update section of the operating system you are using. This helps ensure that there are no security flaws in any programs installed on your computer so hackers can’t take advantage of them.

• Back up your data regularly and externally.
• Be cautious when using public Wi-Fi.
• Be careful when downloading files from websites that may contain viruses or malware (such as torrent sites).

Conclusion

You should always be careful with the websites you visit and the attachments you open. If you are unsure of the authenticity of the website, then don’t open any file or download anything.

If your computer is compromised by any kind of virus or malware, it is always better to take help from experts to get rid of them. It is important to take preventive stepsregularly so that we can avoid such situations from happening.

Our Research Analyst: Endurance Igbru