• admin
• April 4, 2023
• No Comments

The emails will frequently include links to viruses, which belong to a category of harmful software. There is a reasonable probability that you may have unintentionally installed malware on your phone, which ran in the background without your knowledge

Based on a worldwide study commissioned by Zimperium, a private company, over 20% of mobile devices have encountered malware, and 40% of mobiles globally are at risk of cyber-attacks.

However, how can you determine if your phone has been targeted, and what steps can you take to protect it.

Phones can be vulnerable to malware, much like personal computers And how does the phone get infacted?

One notorious example is the Hummingbad virus, which infected millions of Android devices in just a few months in 2016, potentially affecting millions more. Malicious code can infect your phone, replicate itself, and spread to others via auto-messaging or auto-forwarding emails. This can cause your phone to malfunction, send your personal information to hackers, spam your contacts with malware links, and even enable the virus operator to monitor your activities by capturing your screen and keyboard inputs, and tracking your location.

In Australia, for example, the Flubot virus received 16,000 reports in just eight weeks in 2021. Scammers send text messages with links to malware, which, when clicked, can download a malicious app and give the scammers access to your personal information. The Flubot virus targets various countries, including Australia, Germany, Poland, Spain, Austria, and other European countries. According to Bitdefender, FluBot operators targeted these countries between December 1, 2021 and January 2 of this year, and they are known to change their target countries regularly.

Is apple or android ? who is more secured ?

Although Apple devices are generally believed to be more secure than Android and less susceptible to virus attacks, users who “jailbreak” or modify their iPhones are exposing themselves to security vulnerabilities. Likewise, Android users who download apps from sources outside the Google Play store increase their risk of installing malware. It is recommended that all phone users remain vigilant, as both Apple and Android devices are susceptible to security risks.

Having said that, phones are typically better protected against viruses than personal computers because software is typically installed through authorized app stores that scrutinize each app (although some malicious apps can occasionally slip through the cracks).

Moreover, compared to computers, phones are generally more secure since apps are usually “sandboxed” within their own isolated environment, rendering them unable to access or interfere with other apps. This reduces the risk of contamination or infection from malware. However, no device is entirely immune

Observe the signs

Identifying whether your phone is infected with malware is not always a straightforward task, but there are some unusual behaviors that may indicate a problem. These signs include:

1. Sluggish performance, with apps taking longer than usual to open or crashing unexpectedly
2. Unexplained battery drain caused by malware constantly running in the background.
3. A surge in mobile data usage
4. Unanticipated billing charges that may include increased data usage costs from the malware using up your data.
5. Strange pop-up notifications.
6. The device overheating suddenly.

If you suspect that your device has been infected with a virus, there are several steps you can take to prevent further damage. Removing the malware should be your first priority, and the following are some basic troubleshooting steps you can take:

1. You can use a reliable antivirus app from reputable vendors such as Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, McAfee, and Norton to scan your phone for any infections.
2. Clear your phone’s storage and cache in Android devices or clear browsing history and website data in Apple devices.
3. Restart your iPhone or turn on safe mode on your Android phone, which prevents third-party apps from operating, and then scan for malware.
4. Delete any suspicious or unfamiliar apps from your downloaded apps list and turn off safe mode on Android once the apps are deleted.

If all else fails, you can resort to backing up your data and performing a factory reset on your phone. This process will erase all the malware and reset your phone to its original settings.

Now, how to protect your phone to avoid being hacked?

After fixing your phone, it’s crucial to take measures to protect it from future infections and security threats. Along with installing the mobile security apps mentioned earlier, you can also:

1. Steer clear of clicking on any unusual pop-ups or links in suspicious text messages, social media posts, or email.
2. B. Install apps only from authorized app stores, such as Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
3. Refrain from jailbreaking or modifying your phone.
4. Always check app permissions before installing an app so that you know what the app will access, instead of blindly trusting it.
5. Regularly back up your data.
6. Keep your phone software updated to the latest version, as it will have the latest patches.