It can be difficult to detect a hacker on a computer because the hacker will hide or disguise their actions. Below are the most common things that you may notice after a computer is hacked.
Mar 08, 2014 See these Apple articles: Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection. OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware. OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware. About file quarantine in OS X. If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using Dr.Web Light from the App Store. It's free, and since it's from the App Store, it won. If your webcam light turns on a few seconds after you reboot your computer, without launching any applications – you might’ve been hacked. If this is what’s happening, move on to the next step. Step 4: See if your webcam process is running. Mar 27, 2017 REVEALED: How to tell if your PC or Mac has been HACKED FRESH technology has been developed to keep up with hackers accessing webcams. Aug 22, 2016 1 # Can I Tell If My Mac Has Been Hacked. To determine if your mac has been already hacked by hackers you have to know if things. First of all, you've to spot some sign of possible hacking. You'll have to consider whether anything out of the usual is happening on your notebook. You know how your computer runs better than anyone else.
NoteIt is very difficult, if not impossible, to determine who hacked a computer or detect who is actively hacking a computer.
TipMost computer problems are not caused by computer hackers. It is more common for a computer to be hijacked by a virus than to be hacked.
New programs installed
In some situations, you may see new programs or files on the computer. If you are the only user on the computer and new programs are installed, this could be an indication that it was hacked. However, there are also several legitimate reasons why a new program may appear on the computer, as listed below.
- Operating system or other program received updates that included new programs or files.
- When you installed a new program, other programs may be installed with it. For example, it's common for plugins and other free programs to have a check box verifying the installation of a new toolbar or antivirus program. If you don't uncheck these boxes, the additional new programs are installed.
- If you suspect someone may have used your machine, ask if they installed a new program.
Below is a listing of programs that may indicate a hacker was on the computer.
- Backdoors and trojans are by far the most common programs installed on a computer after it is hacked. These programs can allow the hacker to gain access to a large amount of information stored on your computer.
- IRC clients are another common way for a hacker to get into a computer or remotely control thousands of computers. If you have never participated in an IRC chat and have an IRC client your computer may have been hacked.
- Spyware, rogue antivirus programs, and malware might be an indication of a hacker. More commonly, however, they are a sign that your computer was infected via download or visiting a hijacked page while on the Internet.
Computer passwords have changed
Online passwords
Sometimes, after an online account is hacked, the hacker changes the password to one or more accounts. Try using the forgot password feature to reset the password. If your e-mail address has changed or this feature does not work, contact the company who is providing the service. They are the only ones who can reset your account and give control back to you.
Local computer password
If your password to log into your computer has changed, it may have been hacked. There is no reason why a password would change on its own.
E-mail spam being sent
When an e-mail account is taken over, the attacker often uses that account to spread spam and viruses. If your friends, family, or coworkers are receiving advertising e-mail from you, your e-mail may be compromised. Log into your e-mail account and change your account password.
TipE-mail addresses can also be spoofed without hacking the account. After changing the e-mail password, if your friends continue to get e-mails you have not sent, it is likely someone is spoofing your e-mail address.
Increased network activity
For any attacker to take control of a computer, they must remotely connect to it. When someone is remotely connected to your computer, your Internet connection will be slower. Also, many times after the computer is hacked, it becomes a zombie to attack other computers.
Installing a bandwidth monitor program on the computer can help determine which programs are using bandwidth on your computer. Windows users can also use the netstat command to determine remote established network connections and open ports.
However, there are multiple legitimate reasons why your Internet connection may also be slow.
Unknown program requesting access
Computer security programs and firewalls help restrict access for security purposes. If the computer prompts for access to programs you do not know, rogue programs may be installed or it may have been hacked. If you do not know why a program needs access to the Internet, we recommend blocking access to that program. If you later discover these blocks cause problems, they can be removed.
TipA firewall prompting you for access may also be someone trying to probe your network, looking for open or available ports.
Security program uninstalled
If the computer's antivirus program, anti-malware program, or firewall was uninstalled or disabled, it can also be an indication of a hacked computer. A hacker may disable these programs to help hide any warnings that would appear while they are on your machine.
NoteIt is also possible for a virus to disable the antivirus program or malware to interfere with the anti-malware program.
Computer is doing things by itself
If your computer is deeply exploited, it's possible for a malicious third-party to remotely control your computer, executing any programs that you have privilege to run. If they are controlling your current login session, they can even control the computer as if they were sitting at your desk, using your keyboard and mouse.
For example, a mouse cursor could be moved or something could be typed. If you see the computer doing something as if someone else is in control, your system is likely being exploited at the root level.
Internet browser homepage changed or new toolbar
If you notice that your web browser configuration has suddenly changed, this may be a symptom of virus or malware infection. Examples of sudden browser changes include your homepage changing, a third-party toolbar being added, or your default search engine changing to something you don't want.
Additional information
Updated 11:32 AM EST Feb 19, 2020
Smart hackers don’t get caught. They break into your device, steal everything they can, and finish without a trace. Sometimes they leave a trail of destruction in their wake – malware, weird ads, confused relatives, and even a drained bank account or stolen identity.
It’s pretty easy for hackers to do their job. Most people are ambivalent, but you don’t have to be. Click here for 5 security mistakes you’re probably making right now.
Computers, phones, routers, and down to the innocent webcam are vulnerable to cyber-criminals. So what if they’ve already broken in, yet you don’t even know they’re there? Here are clear-cut signs that you've been hacked.
1. Your gadget suddenly slows down
One of the side-effects of malicious software is a slow gadget. Software gets sluggish, or constantly freezes, or even crashes. If you start noticing some of these symptoms, your gadget may very well be infected with viruses, trojans or worms.
Malicious software usually runs in the background, secretly eating up your gadget's resources while it's active.
Here are tools you can use to pinpoint those nasty applications. If an application that you don't recognize is hogging your computer resources, it's likely a virus.
PC: Use Task Manager
There are a few ways to see what processes your computer is running. The easiest is to bring up Windows' built-in Task Manager. Just use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and go to the Processes tab.
Put simply, the Task Manager lists all of your computer’s current tasks and how much processing power they’re using, measured in Central Processing Units (CPUs). Open up Task Manager and check the CPU and memory columns for each process.
You might find one process is using 100% — or close to it — of your CPU. Open up the program associated with the process and see what it's doing. Restart the task and monitor it, but this program might be the culprit.
Click here to learn powerful Windows Task Manager secrets for diagnosing and repairing slow computers.
Mac: Use Activity Monitor
The Mac equivalent to Task Manager is its built-in Activity Monitor. The quickest way to access the Activity Monitor is by using Spotlight Search.
How To See If Your Mac Has Been Hacked Games
Click the magnifying glass on the right side of the menu bar at the top of your screen, or press Command + Spacebar to open a Spotlight window and start typing the first few letters to auto-complete 'Activity Monitor.' Just press Enter to access the tool.
Similar to Window's Task Manager, Mac's Activity Monitor displays a list of all your open processes with tabs for CPU, Threads, Idle Wake Ups and Network usage.
Learn these three troubleshooting Mac shortcuts the pros use.
If this happens when you are on an iPhone, try a soft reset by holding the power and the home button until it reboots with the Apple logo. This step can clear out frozen apps that can be hogging your memory.
2. You’re using way more data than usual
Every Internet provider has tools that can keep track of your monthly bandwidth consumption. Look at Data Usage Meter or Data Monitor, depending on your provider. Compare the amount of data used from the prior months, and if you notice sudden spikes in your data activity even though you haven't changed your patterns, then chances are you are infected.
For example, adware infected gadgets usually perform unsolicited clicks in the background to generate profit for cybercriminals. These stealthy tactics use up bandwidth and the unauthorized data they consume should be fairly easy to spot.
How To Tell If Your Mac Has Been Hacked 2020
Do you want to save on your data consumption? Here are 5 steps to cut your data usage in half.
More Komando: How to find everything Microsoft knows about you
3. Videos suddenly buffer and web pages take forever to load
When a streaming video suddenly freezes, and your device appears to be “thinking,” this is called buffering. This annoyance often happens, especially if you play a lot of videos or your Wi-Fi connection is weak. If it’s happening a lot, or videos fail to play at all, you’re wise to suspect neighbors are piggy-backing on your connection. Click here for steps on how to check for Wi-Fi thieves.
Then again, malware can also slow down your Internet traffic by DNS hijacking. In short, hackers can redirect your Internet traffic to unsafe servers instead of the secure servers. This will not only slow down your browsing experience, it's also a serious security risk. For example, if your router's DNS settings have been hijacked, each time you visit your online bank's website, you'll be redirected to a phishing website instead.
To check your router's DNS settings, you can use an online tool like F-Secure Router. For more security, consider changing your DNS server to one with advanced hijacking protection like CloudFlare or Quad9.
Do you want to make your router hack-proof? Click here for more tips.
More: 6 ways to speed up slow Wi-Fi
4. Programs and apps start crashing
Now, here is a clear sign that your system has been infected. If your antivirus software and task manager are either crashing or disabled, a nasty virus has likely taken hold of your critical system files.
You may not be able to click on once-reliable apps. In the worst case scenario, ransomware may prevent you from opening favorite files.
You can try and fix the problem by booting your gadget in Safe Mode. With Safe Mode, your computer will be running with just the bare essentials. This way, you can safely delete and uninstall any programs and files that you can't during normal operation.
Windows:
On Windows, search for System Configuration then open it >> select Boot tab then tick off Safe Boot >>check Minimal (this is enough for most cases) >> click on OK to confirm >> Restart your computer.
Click here for detailed steps on how to boot into Windows Safe Mode.
macOS:
On a Mac, press and hold down the Shift key while restarting your computer. Keep holding the key through the Apple logo and release when you see the login screen.
Android:
Android also has its own version of Safe Mode but there are different ways to activate it, depending on your phone model. Click here to learn how.
iOS:
Stock iOS doesn't have a Safe Mode but you can try a soft reset to fix most issues. To do this, press and hold both your iPhone's Home button and the Sleep button at the same time, wait for it to restart then let go of the buttons when the Apple logo is displayed.
The iPhone X doesn't have a Home button so the process is a bit different. Press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button then press and hold the side button and release when the Apple logo appears.
5. You start seeing pop-up ads
Malware can also add bookmarks that you don't want, website shortcuts to your home screen that you didn't create, and spammy messages that entice you to click through. Apart from slowing down your gadget and eating away at your data, these intrusive notifications can also install more malware on your system.
Criminals can also use DNS hijacking to modify the ads that you see while browsing. Instead of the regular ads that you should be getting, they can be replaced with inappropriate or malicious ones.
On Windows, clean out adware with SpyBot Search & Destroy. On a Mac, use Malwarebytes for Mac.
6. Your gadget suddenly restarts
Automatic restarts are part of normal computer life. Software updates and new application installs can prompt you to reboot your computer. Your system will warn you when these happen, and you can delay or postpone them.
Yet sudden restarts are a different story. With Windows 10, there's a free malware detection and extraction program called Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.
I recommend a Full Scan with this tool to verify that your computer is updated with the latest malware definitions.
7. Unexplained online activity
Hackers covet your usernames and passwords. These details, coupled with social engineering tricks, can gain access to your banking accounts, your social media profiles, and your online services.
Keep an eye on your email's 'sent' folder and on your social network posts. If you notice emails and posts that you don't remember sending or posting, it's likely that you have been hacked.
Constantly check your accounts for unauthorized activity including movies on your Netflix profile that you don't remember streaming, mystery purchases that you haven't made, songs on your Spotify list that you didn't listen to, credit card charges that came from nowhere.
What other tech tips will help you?
Call my national radio show and click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet or computer. From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts.
Updated 11:32 AM EST Feb 19, 2020