3 Simple Ways To Fix A Hacked Android Phone

androidgalleries.blogspot.com - How To Fix A Hacked Android Phone - Nothing feels more violating than someone having control of your phone! If you suspect someone hacked your Android, don't worry—removing the hacker and their point of entry isn't as hard as you'd thinkis here to walk you through the steps. We'll show you common signs that you've been hacked or have malware, walk you through fixing your hacked Android, and help you lock down your Android's security to avoid future hacks.

Signs Your Android is Hacked

Pop-ups and performance issues. If your Android is running slowly and a reboot doesn't help, a hacker may have installed malware on your phone. You may also notice a lot of pop-ups, including ads and demands for payment, as well as poor battery performance.

Apps you didn't install. If you find strange apps in your app list or on your home screen, they may have been installed by someone who has access to your phone. But because apps installed by hackers might be more hidden than your other apps, the best place to look is in the Apps section of the Settings app.

Unrecognized texts and emails. If a hacker has access to your phone, they may be using it to send messages to other people, including your contacts. Check for messages you didn't send in your text conversations, as well as in the Sent folder of your email app.

It's also possible that someone is spoofing your phone number or email address, which would mean they don't actually have access to your phone.

A sudden increase in data usage. If you're suddenly using a lot more of your data plan than usual, malware on your phone may be using the internet without you realizing it. To check your data usage, open your Settings and tap Data Usage. Be especially wary if the bulk of your data usage is coming from an app you don't recognize.

Remove the Hacker

Consider resetting your Android. As long as you back up or sync your Android to your Google account, the fastest and easiest way to get rid of a hacker is to perform a factory reset of your phone.

Keep in mind that resetting your Android will delete all of your data. However, as long as your photos, videos, contacts, and personal data is synced to your Google account, it'll instantly resync back to your Android once you sign back in in.

After resetting your phone, you'll want to change your Google password in case the hacker has access to your account. You can do so in the Settings app—just go to Google > Manage your Google Account > Security > Password to do so from your Android.

Reboot into safe mode. If you want to try removing hackers and malware without erasing your Android and starting over, start by entering safe mode:

Press and hold the power button on your Android.

When the power options appear, tap and hold Power Off.

When prompted, tap Reboot to safe mode.

If this doesn't work, try powering off your Android. Then, press and hold the power button until your Android turns back on, hold down the Volume Down key until you see "Safe mode" on the screen.

Remove administrator access and apps. Hackers will often install apps with administrator privileges on target Androids, including crypto miners, keyloggers, and spyware tools. Before you start removing apps, you'll want to check for and deactivate device administrator apps:

Open Settings.

If your Settings menu as a search tool, search for admin and tap either Device admin apps or Device Administrators.

If that doesn't work, go to Security > Advanced > Device admin apps or Lock screen & security > Other security settings > Device administrators.

If you see any apps you don't recognize, toggle off its switch to deactivate its administrative rights, or select the app and tap Deactivate.

Some admin apps are installed by the manufacturer (or your workplace) and are necessary to remain active to run properly, so only deactivate the ones that you know aren't required.

Delete unrecognized apps. Whether you've found any rogue apps with administrator rights or not, you'll want to go through all of your apps and delete the ones you didn't install. If apps came preinstalled on your phone, you may not be able to remove those, but others are easy to uninstall from your app list or in the Settings app under Apps.

Turn off app installs from unknown sources. If you use an alternative app store or download apps from the web rather than the Play Store, you won't have the bonus of Google's safety moderation and Play Protect features. Disabling installs from unknown sources ensures that you can only install apps from the Play Store.

Open the Settings app.

Tap Apps or Apps & notifications.

If you're using a Samsung Galaxy, tap the three dots at the top-right, choose Special access > Install unknown apps.

On other Androids, go to Advanced > Special app access > Install unknown apps.

Select each app in the list and toggle its "Allow from this source" switch to Off.

Clear app cache. In case anything shady is hiding in your app cache, it's a good idea to delete all cached data. Here's how:

Open the Settings app.

If you have a Samsung Galaxy, go to Apps, select an app, choose Storage, and then tap Clear cache. Repeat for all apps in the list.

On other Androids, tap Storage, choose Other Apps, select an app, and then tap Clear cache. Repeat for all other apps.

Change your Google account password. If someone had access to your Android, it may be because your Google account is compromised. Before you reboot your phone to exit safe mode, make sure you're starting fresh with a brand new Google password.

Don't reuse the same password you use for any other account—your new password should be completely unique.

Reboot your phone. Now that you've made these changes, you can reboot your Android into normal operating mode.

Install antimalware software and run a scan. There are many antimalware/antivirus options for your Android that don't cost anything at all. Most of the best options have paid upgrade options that allow the software to always run in the background, which can help you avoid getting hacked in the future. But for now, we'll just want to install some software so we can run a malware scan. Some excellent free options are Mobile Security, Sophos Intercept X, AVG Antivirus & Security, and Avast Antivirus & Security. All of these options are available for free in the Play Store.

Once you download the app, open it, and then follow the on-screen instruction to scan for viruses and malware.

If the scanning tool identifies a threat, you'll be prompted to remove it.

Reset your phone if needed. If you've tried to remove a hacker or malware from your Android but still running into poor performance and signs of intrusion, your best bet would be to restore your Android to its original settings. Once you restore your Android, you can sign in with your new Google password and start with a clean slate.

Prevent Future Hacks

Keep your Android up to date. Installing the latest versions of the Android operating system and Play Store app updates ensures that your phone has the latest security patches.

Use a VPN. When you access the internet through a VPN, all of your internet activity is encrypted, making it difficult for potential hackers to monitor your activity. It's especially important to use a VPN when connecting to public hotspots, such as at a café or on campus. Choose a reputable VPN service rather than a free option.

Don't root your Android. While rooting your Android gives you more customization options, it also opens your phone up to malicious apps that can take advantage of your administrator privileges. Androids are highly customizable as-is—if security is a concern, don't install custom ROMs.

Change your passwords (all of them). Each of your online accounts and services should have a unique password. If you reuse your passwords, you risk compromising the security of all of your accounts if just one of those accounts gets hacked. Use long (12 characters or more), unique, difficult to crack passwords for each of your accounts, and always use two-factor authentication when available.

Only install apps from the Play Store. The apps you install from alternative app stores aren't necessarily inspected for malware. When you stick to apps in the Play Store instead of installing alternative app stores, you have the added protection of Google's quality assurance and safety oversight.

Turn on Google Play Protect. This feature of the Play Store runs safety checks on apps before you download them, which can protect you from malware and other harmful apps. The feature is turned on by default, but may have been disabled. Here's how to check:

Open the Play Store app and tap your profile icon.

Tap Play Protect.

Tap Settings.

Turn on "Scan apps with Play Protect."

Keep your eyes on your Android at all times. Don't let your Android out of your site—a hacker might look at an unguarded Android as an easy hacking opportunity. Never disable your Android's lock screen security, and opt to use a biometric like retina scan, face recognition, or your thumbprint if available.

Your unlock PIN should be difficult to guess—using "12345" is not a good idea, even if it is easy to remember.

Don't fall victim to phishing scams. Sometimes hacks occur because an unsuspecting user clicks a link in an email or text message and enters their login information, thinking they are signing into a website they use often. If you're not completely sure that a message comes from a trusted source, never click unfamiliar links, open attachments, or reply to messages with personal information.

Avoid charging your Android at public charging stations. "Juice jacking" is a type of hacking that occurs when you plug a susceptible phone into a charging station that has malware installed. To avoid data theft and malware installation without your consent, stick to using your own charger.