John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 03.03.2022 10:Mar AM EST

How to Know Your Computer Has Been Hacked: Here are the Signs to Watch Out For

Being hacked can be a traumatizing event. One moment you're enjoying some peace and quiet, and then when you boot up your computer, all hell breaks loose. You keep receiving unusual texts from people you don't know, your credit card limit's been reached, and someone left some weird programs on your computer that start up whenever you turn your computer on.

Norton, one of the world's leading provider of anti-virus software, mentioned there are about 2,200 cyberattacks per day even though there isn't any concise data on the statistic in their report on cybersecurity statistics.

Whether you will be eventually added to that number or not depends entirely on you and how well you keep your computer safe from cyberattacks.

Signs of an Attack

In a separate post, Norton mentioned that a computer that was previously hacked would likely open pop-up windows that encourage you to visit sites you don't usually visit. It could also download unfamiliar antivirus or other software frequently. This may be the result of a virus implanted by an attacker that opens unusual websites and mimics your usual web browsing behavior, like Electron Bot.

Another sign your computer is already hacked is an unusual frequency of computer crashes or an abnormal computer performance. These performance issues are likely caused by a virus or a trojan horse, per Kaspersky and How Stuff Works.

Hacked computers also tend to have unknown programs that start up whenever you turn on your computer. This may also be caused by a computer virus that downloads and installs programs you don't recognize on your computer.

Finally, other signs your computer was hacked include changes to your home page, mass emails being sent from your email account, and changes to important data you don't recognize or initiate such as passwords.

Especially passwords.

Reformatting - a Cure or a Curse?

Reformatting or factory resetting your computer is a good cure for your computer should you suspect or confirm it to be infected with malware that puts you at risk of being hacked. However, doing so can make the situation worse.

According to a post from the University Information Technology Services, viruses or trojan horses that instructs you to reformat your computer are often the carriers of something more malicious than themselves. Examples of which are backdoors to your computer or a virus that attempts to capture passwords and uploads them to a remote computer.

Prevention is Better than a Cure

As such, preventative measures are a better way to address the possibility of hacking instead of solving it when it does come.

The first thing you should do is ensure that you never use the same password more than once. According to a Reader's Digest article, doing so would give hackers access to many of your online accounts instead of one. For this, Ashley Boyd, Vice President of Advocacy at Mozilla, said to use a password manager to keep a record of the passwords you use instead of using the same one multiple times.

Another way to prevent being hacked is using antiviruses such as Kaspersky, McAfee, and Norton. According to the U.K.'s National Cyber Security Center, using an antivirus gives your computer protection against the latest viruses and other types of malware due to it being regularly updated.

Additionally, don't try to access personal or financial data with public Wi-Fi, as it can be an avenue for hackers to plant viruses into your computer should they be connected to the same public Wi-Fi you plan to connect to, per Good Speed.

Lastly, always choose your apps and where you download your apps wisely, according to Chubb.com. Malware, such as Electron Bot, usually hides in clones of legitimate applications uploaded to the Official Microsoft Store, proving Chubb.com's article's point.