Undoubtedly, our mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives. From setting up the morning alarm to sending text messages and videos, surfing the internet, and attending conference calls – modern smartphones are captivating, to say the least.
What’s more, these little gadgets come equipped with enough storage and power to save our electronic documents, media, contacts and the likes. If certain files do not fit in the phone, the cloud has got them covered. Although phones are convenient, it would not be wrong to say that they also provide enough opportunities for hackers, stealers, and spies to intrude our personal space.
While app locks and passwords sound secure, they still don’t guarantee full protection. Outside intrusion aside, there are a lot of applications residing in your mobile that can spy on you.
Before we delve deeper and figure out the ways through which you can protect yourself from digital spying, let’s have a look at the sure signs which indicate that your phone is spied, tracked and monitored.
Are You Being Spied On?
A hacked phone can be dangerous. Although it is a bit tricky to find out if your phone is being spied on, here are some red flags which should do the trick.
Your cell phone is becoming slower increasingly
The newest phones come equipped with top-notch hardware and software which makes them capable of running multiple applications at a time without lagging. However, if your smartphone has become slower, and if you feel the phone is not as fast as it used to be, then there are chances that something is wrong.
Surprising text messages
Have your friends started complaining about random text messages which were actually not sent by you?
Or, have you received weird-looking text messages?
The chances are high that your phone is either tracked or spied upon. Typically, if you notice a message consisting of a variety of symbols and random alphanumeric sequences, it is an indication that your phone’s software is not working properly and is controlled by third-party software.
Random apps
If you find random apps getting installed on your phone without you doing them, it might be because someone broke into your device and tried manipulating it.
Irregular pop-ups
Irregular pop-ups are also a symptom of a hacked device. So whenever you feel the pop-ups are too much to take, it is likely a spy app which might be causing it.
Deteriorating battery life
If you have noticed a sudden drop in the battery performance of your smartphone, it could be because of spy software.
Such software monitors all your activities and sends them to a third-party device. As a lot of processes are running in the background, this makes your cell phone lose its battery life at a higher rate.
If you have experienced the signs mentioned above, the chances are high that your phone is infected with spyware. Fret not. You can cleanse your phone and make it secure by removing spyware.
How to Detect and Remove Spyware from Android and iPhone
What is spyware?
Spyware is a type of malware which gets installed in your smartphones without your knowledge. Such software sits in your phone and monitor all your activities and share them with the third-party devices.
Spyware can enter your phones through downloaded files, applications, and media and so on. Here is how you can eliminate the spyware from your phones.
For Android Phones
Step 1- Visit Settings and proceed to the Applications.
Step 2- Next, click on Running Services and have a look at the unknown applications.
Step 3- Uninstall the unknown applications, and delete the cache history from the phone.
And you’re done!
For iOS Devices
Step1- Visit Settings and tap General.
Step 2- Click on software update.
This is the simplest way to get rid of spyware from your iPhone.
Ways to Secure Your Phone
Use a VPN
A VPN stands for a virtual private network. The software redirects all your web traffic through a secured tunnel such that third-parties spying on your phone cannot encrypt your web activities. This way, a VPN ensures that your phone and your online identity remains secure and protected at all times.
While choosing a VPN, ensure that you have a look at the reviews of most popular VPNs in the market, including thePIA review.
Use a strong password
It is highly recommended to choose a strong password, and avoid reusing the same password for other applications.
Only use trusted apps
Avoid using apps from unreliable sources. The best way to ensure this is by downloading the apps only from the authorized app store of your device.
Keep your software updated regularly
While this might sound like an obvious step, a lot of users do not keep their phone’s software updated which creates a lapse in the security. Security patches and updated are released from time to time to take care of the glitches. This not only takes care of your phone’s security but also adds to its performance.
The Final Words
Do not fret. If you feel that your phone is being spied on, keep calm and simply follow the steps mentioned above. Got any queries? Write to us in the comments below.
