The Different Ways Hackers Can Access Your Devices

As technology continues to evolve, we are finding that the ways hackers access our devices are becoming more insidious and harder for us to detect. It is certainly stress-worthy to imagine a stranger with complete access to your phone, especially since we rely on it for nearly everything. However, when you educate yourself, you can be aware of the various signs that more than one person is using your phone. Keep reading for more.

Phishing

Nearly every one of us has received a text message or email that prompted us to click on it due to the message’s contents. Usually, these messages will appear to be from your bank or any app you use to transfer monetary funds. Moreover, the message will easily grab your attention, usually saying things like, “Your account indicates suspicious activity.”

If you look closely at the message and the sender, you can usually tell that it is a type of phishing message waiting for you to grab the bait. You can ignore it, but if you feel concerned, contact your bank or app directly to get down to the bottom of it.

Public Wi-Fi

Every time we are out and about, we likely herald the opportunity for free Wi-Fi, especially when our phones have trouble accessing a good connection. However, it might surprise you to know that this is one of the ways hackers can access your devices. They do this by creating a fake public Wi-Fi network that grants the hacker complete access to a device once someone connects. To protect yourself from fake public Wi-Fi, use a VPN, stick with HTTPS sites, and install antivirus software on your devices.

Your Apps

Downloading fun and exciting apps is half the fun of technology, but you must stay alert and cautious. When we download software on our devices, we often click “grant access” without a second thought. However, this feature grants apps access to the microphones on a device, giving a hacker an avenue to listen to private conversations. You can fix this in the settings tab on your device or review the app’s terms and conditions, clicking the option that denies access to sensitive areas of your phone.