What To Do if Your Phone Is Hacked: 5 Tips for Comprehensive Damage Control

Attacks on mobile devices have significantly increased in the last few years. In 2023, Kaspersky observed a 50% rise in these attacks (from 22.2 million in 2022 to 33.8 million in 2023).

While these attacks don’t necessarily involve phone hacks, they demonstrate the vulnerability of mobile devices to external threats. In case your phone gets hacked, certain actions can help you minimize damage, protect your data, and regain control, but you need to be quick to stop the attack from spreading.

In this guide, we’ll show you what to do if your phone is hacked and offer tips on how to prevent hacks and other cyberattacks.

Common Signs That Your Phone Has Been Hacked

Malicious actors can employ various tactics to access your device, from SIM swapping to leveraging fraudulent apps, making it challenging to identify a phone hack. If you suspect your phone has been hacked or want to prepare for such a scenario, watch for these signs:

• • Increase in pop-up ads: A spike in pop-up ads can indicate an adware infection. Common goals of these pop-ups are tricking you into installing fraudulent apps and providing sensitive info, or “warning” you about scams, and then urging you to react immediately to prevent damage.
• • Battery drainage: Quick battery drainage, despite moderate phone use, can be a result of malware running in the background.
• • Unexpected charges: A higher phone bill can indicate that hackers are using your device to send messages, subscribe to various services, or make unauthorized purchases.
• • Unrequested two-factor authentication (2FA) codes: Notifications for 2FA codes you never requested can mean that someone is trying to access one of your accounts or make a payment.
• • Inability to access your Apple/Google account: Being logged out of your Apple or Google account and unable to log back in could indicate that a hacker has taken control of it.
• • Unfamiliar apps on your device: If you notice apps you didn’t install yourself, it could be a telltale sign that your phone has been compromised. Hackers sometimes install malicious apps in the background to track your activity or steal your data.
• • Phone overheating: An unusually warm device could indicate malware is working in the background and straining the processor.
• • Random restarts or shutdowns: Unexplained restarts or shutdowns at random times could be due to a virus or hackers trying to control your device.

What To Do if You Think Your Phone Has Been Hacked

In addition to privacy invasion, a phone hack can result in significant financial loss, inability to access your accounts, and identity theft. To prevent such severe consequences, an immediate and proper reaction is crucial. Here’s what to do if your phone gets hacked:

1. 1. Check if your accounts have been compromised
2. 1. Change your passwords
3. 1. Delete suspicious apps and files
4. 1. Install a mobile security app
5. 1. Perform a factory reset

1. Check if Your Accounts Have Been Compromised

Check your online accounts for unusual activity, including:

• • Login attempts from unfamiliar locations or devices
• • Unauthorized transactions
• • Password change notifications
• • Messages you’ve never sent
• • Settings you haven’t customized

This step is particularly important for banking apps and accounts that hold your financial information (e.g., if you’ve linked your credit card information to a social media or ecommerce account). If you notice anything suspicious, immediately contact your bank to block your credit card and request a new one.

Another good idea is to inform your mobile carrier about the potential hack. They may be able to offer features such as fraud alerts or monitor your account more closely for unauthorized or unusual activity.

2. Change Your Passwords

Change all your accounts’ passwords to ensure hackers can’t access them. It’s crucial to use a different device for this as utilizing your hacked phone could enable malicious actors to see your new passwords or intercept your actions.

To make the process easier, use a reliable password manager. For added security, set up 2FA. This extra verification layer could make it impossible for hackers to access your accounts even if they know your password. If possible, avoid SMS-based 2FA as hackers could intercept your messages through SS7 attacks. Instead, leverage 2FA through authenticator apps or biometric authentication, which requires verification via your unique traits, such as a fingerprint or face.

3. Delete Suspicious Apps and Files

Malicious apps and files often include spyware or trojans that enable hackers to surveil your activity and steal personal and financial information.

To ensure your device doesn’t get compromised through fraudulent apps and files, perform regular checks of installed apps and downloaded files. If you notice anything suspicious or unfamiliar, immediately delete it from your phone.

4. Install a Mobile Security App

Advanced mobile security apps can monitor device security and prevent hacks and other cyberattacks to ensure your accounts and data are safe by:

• • Scanning for and removing malware and malicious apps and files
• • Identifying phishing attempts
• • Monitoring your network connections

Some mobile security apps offer additional options for enhanced data protection and encryption, password management, and greater control if your device is stolen or lost.

5. Perform a Factory Reset

Performing a factory reset should be your last resort; although it may sound drastic, it returns your phone to its original state, ensuring that there are no corrupt files or apps on it.

The steps for performing a factory reset differ depending on your mobile OS. If you use an Android, here’s how to complete a factory reset:

1. 1. Go to Settings
2. 1. Scroll down and click on General Management (or System, depending on your Android version)
3. 1. Select Reset (or Backup & Reset)
4. 1. Choose Factory data reset
5. 1. Tap on Erase all data and enter your password to confirm

iPhone users can follow these steps to perform a factory reset:

1. 1. Open Settings
2. 1. Choose General
3. 1. Scroll down and select Transfer or reset phone
4. 1. Tap on Erase all content and settings
5. 1. Choose Continue and confirm your decision by entering your iCloud password

Since a factory reset erases all your data, backing up valuable data is essential. Save irreplaceable photos, videos, contacts, and messages to a cloud platform or a computer. Avoid backing up apps or system data as these could be compromised.

How To Make Sure Your Phone Is Not Hacked: Prevention Tactics

Preventing a phone hack is much easier than dealing with its consequences. By applying specific prevention methods, you can minimize the risk of hacks and improve overall device and network security. Here is how to reduce your device’s susceptibility to hacks and cyberattacks:

1. 1. Use strong passwords
2. 1. Install apps from verified sources
3. 1. Update your operating system
4. 1. Set up SIM protection
5. 1. Use a VPN
6. 1. Choose a reliable mobile carrier

1. Use Strong Passwords

Despite the availability of infinite password variations, research shows that the most common password in the world is 123456, and it takes hackers less than one second to crack it. Weak passwords make it much easier for hackers to access your accounts, steal your data, and make fraudulent transactions.

To improve your device security and prevent unauthorized access, set up passwords by following these tips:

Don’t share your passwords with anyone, especially not over the phone as malicious actors could intercept them.

2. Install Apps From Verified Sources

Downloading apps from unreliable sources can allow viruses, malware, and spyware to enter and compromise your device. To prevent this, use only verified sources to install apps. For iPhones, that’s the App Store, and for Androids, that’s the Google Play Store.

Both digital content stores employ strict review processes to ensure the available apps are reliable and free of viruses. However, there have been occasions of malicious apps slipping through. For instance, Kaspersky found apps with the SparkCat trojan that steals cryptocurrency wallet data in both the App Store and Google Play Store.

For additional security, research apps and their developers before downloading them to your device. Check the reviews and understand the permissions a particular app requests to ensure it’s trustworthy.

3. Update Your Operating System

Hackers often search for security gaps in outdated iOS and Android versions and leverage them as entry points to your device. By failing to update your OS, you expose your phone to vulnerabilities and miss the benefits of the latest security patches.

The best way to ensure you’re running the latest OS version is to set up automatic updates. Here’s how to do it if you have an Android phone:

1. 1. Open Settings
2. 1. Scroll down and select Software update
3. 1. Tap on Auto download and choose Using Wi-Fi only or Using Wi-Fi or mobile data to select when your device will download updates

iPhone users can follow the steps below to set up automatic software updates:

1. 1. Go to Settings and choose General
2. 1. Tap on Software Update
3. 1. Turn on Automatic Updates
4. 1. Switch the toggle next to iOS Updates to ensure your device automatically updates to the latest software version

4. Set up SIM Protection

Hackers may try to steal your phone number and transfer it to another SIM card, a practice known as SIM swapping.

To prevent or at least minimize the risk of a SIM swap attack, set up SIM protection if your carrier offers it. Once you enable this, hackers won’t be able to port your phone number without the unique PIN or password.

5. Use a VPN

Public Wi-Fi networks are often poorly secured, making them particularly vulnerable to hacking. It’s best to avoid connecting to such networks, but if you can’t, use a virtual private network (VPN).

A VPN creates a secure connection to the internet, minimizing the risk of cyberattacks regardless of the network you’re using and preventing hackers from accessing your phone through it. Numerous VPN apps are available for both Android and iOS; check online reviews and app store ratings to find the one that suits your needs.

6. Choose a Reliable Mobile Carrier

Mobile carriers play a significant role in protecting your phone from hackers. Unfortunately, the major mobile carriers today often don’t prioritize security in their service. For example, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have all faced significant data breaches in the last several years, losing sensitive data of their customers to hackers. Worse yet, most major carriers collect as much of your data as possible so that they can create detailed profiles of who you are and what you do, and sell that information to third parties, data brokers, and ad networks.

The good news is that a wave of innovative new players is reshaping the telco space. Cape is a mobile carrier that offers the same quality of cell phone service, with a unique focus in protecting your privacy and security.

How Cape Is Reinventing Mobile Security

Cape is a privacy-first mobile carrier that keeps your connection and data safe from network attacks. Our security approach is based on a simple idea: Don’t trust us. Instead of asking you to place blind faith in our systems, we’ve engineered them to protect your data—even from us. We collect the minimum amount of information necessary to provide our service; any data we do collect is deleted.

Cape’s SIM swap protection relies on minimal data collection and advanced encryption. We only collect the basic data necessary for providing services, which means you can sign up anonymously to ensure information like your name, address, and SSN never leaves your device. When you do, Cape will use its advanced cryptography to protect your account—here’s how:

1. 1. When you sign up, your device creates a private encryption key
2. 1. The key is a unique digital signature (a 24-word phrase) that only you can access
3. 1. Your account is locked with the private key, which stays on your device at all times

The digital signature is necessary to make significant account changes, such as number port-outs. There’s no human involvement, and nobody can initiate such changes but you, which minimizes the risk of SIM swapping.

Cape offers other robust security features, including:

Stay Connected and Secure With Cape

When you sign up with Cape, you get unlimited text, calls, and 4G/5G data for $99/month. All federal, state, and local taxes are covered in the monthly plan—no hidden charges or contracts.

You can get started immediately by visiting cape.co/get-cape.

Cape has also partnered with Proton for a unique deal that shields your online activity. Cape subscribers can now get Proton Unlimited or Proton VPN Plus for only $1 for six months.