If you believe your device has been compromised by an intruder, it is important that you act quickly and effectively to safeguard your data, privacy and security. Nowadays, the security of your devices , such as mobile phones or computers, is more important than ever. They contain a lot of confidential information, such as passwords, emails, phone numbers or bank accounts. In this sense, if a cybercriminal gains access to this information, it could cause great damage to your privacy.
This is why it is important to take security precautions to prevent unauthorized persons or hackers from accessing your equipment . And one way to do this is to perform basic checks to determine if someone is or has had unauthorized access to your PC or mobile.
Check the security on your mobile
- Check your installed apps : If someone installed an additional app on your device, you’ll be able to see it on your home screen, and this could be a sign that they have access to your personal files and information. On Android, you can check by going to Settings > Apps and you’ll see the list of apps. If there’s one you don’t recognize, delete it immediately. On iOS, simply go to Settings and scroll to see what’s installed on your iPhone .
- Check your activity history : If you have web and app activity logging set up in your Google Account , you can review which apps have been used and which websites have been visited. To do this, go to My Google Activity to set up this feature.
- Check out your notification history : On Android phones , you can find a notification history feature that can show you alerts you’ve received recently, if someone has been snooping around your device this can be a way to find out.
- Other Apps : Don’t forget to check individual apps, such as your photo gallery, email, and streaming apps like YouTube or Netflix , for unrecognized activity.
Check the security on your computer
- Check installed apps : By checking the apps installed on your PC, you can make sure that only the apps you know and use are there. This prevents the presence of malicious or unwanted software that could put your privacy and security at risk .
- Check your web browsing history : Reviewing your browsing history allows you to check recently visited web pages. This is useful for detecting any suspicious activity or unauthorized visits to pages that may put your personal data at risk.
- Examine the list of recently edited files : It is essential to take a look at the list of edited files as it can help identify unauthorized changes to important documents. This is vital if you have work documents on your Windows PC .
- Check specific apps : Many apps, such as image editors and word processors, keep a log of recently opened files. Reviewing this information can help ensure that sensitive files have not been accessed without your consent.
In addition to performing the basic checks above, you can also take additional steps to protect your devices from intruders. For example, it is recommended to use a strong, hard-to-crack password for your mobile or PC.
You should also enable two-factor authentication , keep your computer software updated to the latest version, install antivirus software, and be cautious about what files you download and where you download them from. By following these tips, you can help protect your devices from intruders and prevent them from accessing your sensitive information.