In today’s world of cybercrime, it is more important than ever to be on the lookout for signs that your computer may have been hacked. With a hacker’s access to your personal information, they can commit serious identity theft and financial fraud.
Here are seven things you need to look out for if you think hackers have compromised your account:
1) Your password is no longer working
One surefire sign that you are hacked is that your password is not working.
If you cannot log on to your bank account or email, and someone else can, it is a sure sign of password theft. Hackers commonly use keylogging software to access unsuspecting users’ passwords.
2) You receive an email from your company or organisation with the word “Urgent” in the subject line
If an email from your company has the word “Urgent” in the subject line, this should be seen as a warning sign that something is amiss.
Hackers often target employees of companies and institutions with emails containing malware designed to infect their computer networks and obtain valuable information like passwords and financial data.
3) You receive an email that contains attachments or links
Be very careful about opening attachments or clicking on any links in emails you receive, especially if you don’t know the sender.
Hackers often use malicious software attached to emails to infect the computer of the person who opens it.
4) You receive emails without knowing who sent them
If you receive an email from someone you don’t know or don’t have a personalised message, this is a warning sign that it may be spam or a phishing attack.
Be very cautious about opening any attachments or clicking on any links in these types of emails, as they could contain malware that will infect your computer.
5) Your computer is running more slowly than usual
If your computer runs more slowly than usual, this is often a sign of malware infection.
Hackers use malware to secretly install software onto your computer, slowing its performance and even allowing them to monitor what you do online.
6) You receive error messages when accessing your accounts
If you receive an error message when trying to access any websites, such as your email or social media profiles, this could be a sign that hackers have breached the security of those sites and are using it to steal your data.
7) Your device is hot to touch
This may not seem like a clear sign of hacking at first glance, but many people need to remember how sensitive some devices, such as laptops and smartphones, can be.
If your device is hot to the touch when you know it shouldn’t be, this is a sign that it is running software that requires more power than usual and may be due to malware infection.
If you notice any of the above signs, you must take action and contact your IT department. They will be able to help you lock down your device or account so that hackers can’t steal personal information from you in the future.