Hackers are either good or bad. The latter must be protected. If you think your computer has been hacked, take immediate action. Hackers can get into your computer in many ways, but you need to learn how to spot the signs of a breach.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Signs of Hacking
Unusual computer behavior. If the computer "behaves strangely", then this may indicate its age, or a failed component, or a hack:
- Programs and files won't start or won't open.
- Files that you did not delete are placed in the trash can (or deleted altogether).
- Passwords don't work.
- Programs that you did not install are installed on your computer.
- The computer connects to the Internet in your absence.
- Changes have been made to files without your knowledge.
- The printer refuses to print or prints something that you did not send for printing.
Connect to the internet. Here are possible signs that your computer has been hacked:
- You can't log in to your accounts because the passwords don't work (check them on multiple sites). Have you responded to phishing emails (fraudulent emails asking for personal information and/or password)?
- The browser redirects you to other sites.
- Additional browser windows open (without your participation).
- After paying for the domain name you purchased, you cannot access it.
Here are the possible signs that your computer is infected with malware:
- Fake messages about the presence of a virus. If you do not have an antivirus, such messages will appear regularly. If you have an antivirus, be sure to find out what your antivirus message boxes look like (to distinguish them from fake ones). Do not press buttons in fake windows and do not provide any financial information (most importantly - do not panic after a message about the presence of a virus).
- Toolbars you don't know appeared in the browser. (There is only one toolbar in the browser.)
- Pop-up windows open.
- Your antivirus and other security programs refuse to work or are disabled altogether. Task Manager and/or Registry Editor does not open.
- Your e-mail sends letters without your knowledge.
- Money disappears from your bank account, or you receive invoices for purchases you didn't make.
If you do not control the operation of the computer, then most likely it has been hacked. For example, if the mouse cursor moves around the screen without your participation, then someone has gained remote access to your computer. (If you've ever worked remotely on any computer, then you know what I'm talking about).
- Search the Internet for your personal information that you have not disclosed. (Do this regularly.) If you found it safely through a search engine, then the information was stolen by hacking into your computer.
Part 2 of 2: What to do
Disconnect from the internet immediately. Thus, you will interrupt the hacker's connection with your computer.
- To reliably disconnect the Internet, it is best to unplug your modem from the power outlet.
- Print or save this article on your computer so that you can access it when there is no internet.
Restart your computer and boot into safe mode (check your computer's instruction manual if you're not sure what to do).
Look for "unknown" programs (that is, programs installed without your participation) or programs that do not start. If you find such programs, remove them. If you do not know how to do this, seek help from a specialist.
Scan the system with a trusted antivirus such as Avast Home Edition, AVG Free Edition, Avira AntiVir. If you do not know how to do this, seek help from a specialist.
If the steps above don't work, back up your important files, restore your system, and update it.
Warn your bank and any other organization about possible problems with the leakage of personal information. Ask them for advice on your next steps to protect your funds.
Warn people on your email list that they may receive malicious emails from your address. Ask them not to open such emails or click on links in those emails.
- Keep backups of important files (such as family photos, documents) on an encrypted USB drive.
- The best way to prevent hacking is to prepare for it in advance.
- When you are not working on your computer, disconnect it from the Internet.
- To restore the system to the time before the hack, use the system restore function.
- Back up your files and entire system regularly.
Warnings
- If none of the programs starts, and just a picture is displayed on the screen, then you need to reinstall the system (or restore it, unless the hacker got to the system recovery files).
- Your computer can be used to attack other computers/networks and commit illegal acts (of course, without your knowledge).
- If you do not check the computer for possible hacking, then, in the end, you will have to reinstall the operating system or buy a new computer.
To begin with, I would like to say literally two words why would an attacker hack into your computer, mail or account of a particular service.
For the most part, the account of a simple user does not contain anything interesting except for personal data and a list of contacts. But it is the list of contacts that is the main goal of the attacker. What for??? - Spam. Send unnecessary advertising, offer goods and services.
It is still much more “fun” with a computer - it usually has a lot of personal information, often working, and indeed, the ability to hack all your access to everything at once.
In addition, perhaps the most common nuisance in the network are viruses. They are also a kind of hack. Only in most cases, viruses do not just steal your information, but generally destroy it or make your computer inoperable.
The main signs of penetration into your system without your knowledge:
- Passwords have changed. Changing passwords without your participation is the first and surest sign that your account has been hacked.
- New panels and buttons, bookmarks in favorites and unfamiliar sites in your browser.
- Changing the default search page is also not a good sign.
- New programs of unknown origin on your PC.
- You do not get to the sites whose address you have set.
For the most part, it is not difficult to protect yourself from such troubles if you follow a few rules:
- Actively use the service - a social network, application, mailbox, etc.
- Create a complex and long password. But, don't use passwords like "childnamedateofbirth", etc.
- Don't tell your password to anyone!
- Create a special mailbox for which you can set up password recovery from different services. Or set up a password change with confirmation via SMS - the best protection without "special tools".
- Do not redirect password recovery to a non-existent or deceased mailbox.
- No need to thoughtlessly click the "Next" button every time you install the program you need. Now a lot of programs during installation put programs "satellites" that you don't need. And who knows what they do?
- Pay special attention to any attempts by the "system" to install a new antivirus or optimizer, video codec, etc. This is, most often, an attempt to “hook” you with a Trojan or a virus.
- It's good if your service keeps track of what IP address you visited it from - this is also not an extra way to control.
And yet, what to do if you have already penetrated?
Remove all programs and everything that you 100% do not need. Check your network settings and how your antivirus works. But the best thing is to contact the professionals. Since in such cases there are many subtleties and nuances. It is impossible to describe all of them and in each case they are often individual. Only a specialist can deal with the consequences of such hacks.
If you suspect that intruders have penetrated your computer or just want to set up your computer so that it works productively and reliably - call us!
Company "ProfITs", setup and maintenance of computers and local networks. Phone -057 751 09 07
Today, hacker attacks are on everyone's lips and everyone is worried about the security of their data. To prevent the theft of passwords and other important information, you should pay attention to any changes in your computer.
We suggest checking the checklist of signs that your computer has been hacked. And if the fears are confirmed, we will tell you what to do.
1. Antivirus disabled
If you yourself did not disable the antivirus program, but noticed that it was turned off, this is a sure sign that your computer has been compromised. It cannot turn itself off on its own. The first thing hackers do is get rid of their antivirus so it's easier to get access to your files.
2. Passwords don't work
If you haven't changed your passwords, but they suddenly stopped working and you can't log in to your accounts, it's time to be wary - most likely your computer has been hacked.
3. The number of friends has increased dramatically
4. New icons on the toolbar
When you open your browser and notice new icons on the toolbar, this may be an indication that malicious code has been infiltrated.
5. Cursor moves by itself
If you notice that the mouse cursor moves by itself and highlights something, this is a sure sign of a hack.
6. Unusual printer behavior
Signs of hacking affect not only the computer itself, but can also appear in working with the printer. For example, when it refuses to print or prints files that you did not send to print.
7. Redirect to other sites
If your browser is constantly redirecting you to other sites, it's time to beware. The same is true if you enter a search query, but other pages do not appear, but instead of Google or Yandex search results. The frequent appearance of pop-ups also indicates a hack.
8. Files deleted without your participation
If you notice that some programs and files have moved to the trash can or have been deleted completely, but you did not do this, there is no doubt that the computer has been hacked.
9. The Internet has your personal information that you did not disclose.
Check this with a search engine: look for information about yourself that you definitely did not disclose on the network. If you were able to find it, then your computer was hacked to steal information.
10. Fake Antivirus Messages
If windows pop up on the computer with a warning about a virus infection, but they look different than usual, this is a sign of hacking. You should also be wary if a new antivirus has appeared on your computer.
If your computer takes too long to perform the simplest operations, and your Internet connection is noticeably slow, this can also be a sign of a hack.
What to do:
- Warn your friends and email recipients that you have been hacked. Tell them not to open messages from you or click on links in them.
- Inform your bank about the possible leakage of your personal data. Learn from them how to protect your funds.
- Remove all programs you are unfamiliar with, as well as those that do not start.
- Install a reliable antivirus and scan your system. Some companies release free versions.
- Change passwords on all your accounts.
- If you think that the problem is not solved, contact a specialist.
Experts believe that cyber fraudsters got the information they need thanks to a special virus that infected users' computers. The companies reported that many accounts are out of date, so there is no need to worry, but they recommended changing passwords to everyone.
Given the fact that the disclosure of user passwords from various services may be repeated, AiF.ua decided to compile a small memo on security measures when working with mailboxes.
Who is responsible for the ease of access to mailboxes
Vladimir Ivanov, Deputy Head of the Operations Department at Yandex, told AiF.ua that modern mail systems are reliably protected structures. It is almost impossible to hack them, because they have several levels of protection.
“Mail systems also have many mechanisms that protect users from fraudulent emails: determining the authenticity of a message by its digital signature, getting rid of malicious scripts in emails, checking attachments for viruses and, of course, protecting against spam and unwanted emails,” added Vladimir Ivanov.
The company also excludes that employees may be involved in the "leakage" of passwords from mailboxes. According to Vladimir Ivanov, the system is designed in such a way that data about logins and letters that belong to them are stored in three different places. Three groups of administrators are responsible for the safety of electronic information. To gain access to them, it is necessary, firstly, the participation of all three groups of specialists and, secondly, compliance with internal procedures. And the whole process is controlled by the security service of the company.
The “weak link” in the chain user - mailbox - mail service is a person who endangers his account by inventing easy passwords or following trap links to malicious sites.
“It turns out that the user himself becomes the most “vulnerable” in this system: his simple password, the same password with other services, computer virus infection or inattention when going to suspicious sites nullify all the efforts of postal services to protect them,” the specialist stated. Yandex.
Three signs of a mailbox hack
- Suspicious visits to the mailbox that you do not know about. You can find out from which IP address, at what time and from which browser your mail was visited, from the transaction log. It is provided in most free e-mail systems.
- Your mailbox contains letters that you have not sent. Make it a habit to check your email every day to protect yourself from being hacked.
- According to Vladimir Ivanov, email services can automatically detect suspicious behavior and prompt the user to change their password. It is worth heeding this advice.
What to do if your mailbox is hacked
- Change your password and continue to be more vigilant. This option may not suit you if the hackers have caused serious damage.
Password - your personal information
Never share your account passwords with anyone.Avoid simple passwords. Special programs that hackers use recognize them very quickly. Also, do not use your personal data (date of birth, name, city of residence, passport series and number, etc.).
The ideal option would be to write any Russian or Ukrainian phrase using the Latin layout. For example, the combination of the words "juicy_watermelon" will turn into a complex password cjxysq_fh,ep.
- Contact law enforcement agencies to help find the perpetrators and punish them according to the law.
“The postal service is not such a body and cannot independently conduct legally significant investigations,” says the deputy head of the Yandex operation department. - In addition, as a rule, the investigation requires the joint work of many organizations - providers, Internet services, sometimes even engineering services. Only law enforcement agencies can organize such work.”
Meanwhile, Google has published instructions for two-step authentication, another way to provide security measures for mailboxes. Its essence lies in the fact that before entering the system, the user will need to enter a password and a confirmation code. The system will send you a combination of numbers for confirmation to your mobile phone. It can be received as a voice message or SMS.
The first thing that might make you think about a possible hack is sudden write-offs of funds that you have nothing to do with. This is a clear sign that scammers may have accessed your card information or may have "hijacked" the account of one of the payment services you use.
If the balance of your funds is always at hand, you will notice suspicious activity quickly. If you rarely check your account and you don’t even have an SMS or mail alert connected, it’s time to do it.
Messages with codes to confirm purchases, which you, of course, did not make, should not be ignored either. Regardless of whether you know the sender or not, you must immediately contact the bank.
2. Device slowdown
The work of a malware that has made its way into your computer or smartphone can require a lot of computing power. Therefore, if you notice a decrease in performance that is significant, unexpected and long-term, you should immediately scan your device for viruses and limit any network activity for this period. If no threats were detected, perhaps the reason for the slowdown.
3. Disabling or interruptions in the operation of security programs
If malware has made its way into the system and managed to settle down, it is possible that it will try to close or isolate all defenses that are dangerous to it. The reason to sound the alarm is an involuntary shutdown or the inability to start an on-demand computer scan. This situation can be avoided by constantly updating anti-virus databases and downloading applications only from trusted sources.
If the protection of your device missed at least one malware, then soon there may be much more of them. A threat that has taken root on a PC can initiate the download of additional malicious tools, which can be presented as additional software or browser extensions.
You can check which software is active at the time the computer is running using the Task Manager on Windows (call with the key combination Ctrl + Alt + Del) and System Monitor on macOS (found in the list of Utilities or Programs). In the browser you are using, you need to open a list of all extensions and similarly check what is installed and what starts automatically.
5. Increasing the number of pop-ups
Through the browser and some other applications, malware can bombard you with pop-ups asking you to scan your computer or verify your account information. These windows often look quite authentic and do not arouse suspicion, but if they began to appear much more often than before, then this is a reason to think.
Now modern browsers and operating systems in general do an excellent job of dealing with annoying pop-ups, but there is still a chance that the initiator of displaying the next window or banner is malware that has made its way onto the PC.
Malicious software can also change system settings. The classic example is changing the home page of your browser or search engine. Seeing a completely new and at the same time rather dubious page when downloading the same Chrome or Firefox, of course, you should not follow the links on it.
In particular, you need to keep a close eye on requests to change system settings and grant permissions to new programs. The latter is very relevant in the case of smartphones, where seemingly elementary applications may require a whole list of rights to access the bowels of the gadget.
7. Uncontrolled device activity
If it sometimes seems to you that your computer or smartphone lives its own life, then it is likely that someone is controlling it remotely. This is done through a backdoor application that you may have downloaded along with the recently downloaded content.
Such remote access can be tracked by the involuntary exit of the device from sleep mode, the sudden activity of the hard disk when the PC is idle, and even in the spontaneous movement of the mouse cursor. Fortunately, such brazen hacks are extremely rare lately, especially if you use exclusively licensed software.
In addition to being active inside the system, malware can cause a sudden shutdown or reboot of the device. This may well indicate partial control over the PC and attempts to destabilize the system.
It is worth panicking here only when such shutdowns became more frequent and there were no prerequisites for this: you do not overload the PC with demanding games and control the heating. In such cases, again, it is worth checking the active processes in the "Task Manager" and especially autorun.
9. Sending messages without your knowledge
If they gain access to your mail, the attackers will try to spread their tentacles as much as possible. Sending spam on your behalf is the first thing you should pay attention to. Check daily not only new mail, but also the folder of sent letters. If you notice something suspicious, hurry up to change from this account, and it’s better to do it through another device.
10. Suspicious online activity
You can become a source of spam not only in mail, but also in social networks. Moreover, attackers are usually not limited to one distribution of messages. If this is, for example, Twitter, a lot of new subscriptions and comments under other people's posts can indicate an account hacking. And the trouble is that all this can only be discovered after some time, when your account has already been used to the maximum.
You can protect yourself from this only with the help of vigilance, that is, periodically checking the main actions in each particular network. If you find dubious messages and comments that you could not leave even while drunk, be sure to change your password using another device for this.
11. Denial of access to your accounts
If during authorization in one of the services your standard password suddenly did not fit, then, probably, the attackers, having gained access to the account, managed to change it. In the case of a large service or social network, you should not panic. You can be helped by the password recovery and change form via mail or by contacting technical support directly.
To increase the level of protection for all your accounts and social networks, you must use.
Outcome
Even if you think that the danger has passed and the account data has not been affected, it is definitely worth playing it safe. As a reminder, it always makes sense to periodically update your account passwords, especially if the same password is used in several services.
If any of the online accounts has been hacked, please report it to technical support immediately. Even if you easily restored access, it is still worth doing, because you don’t know where the “hijacked” account was used.
Be sure to install a reliable antivirus with fresh databases on your PC, or at least systematically check the system with lightweight portable options. If for some reason it is not possible to install or run such software on an infected computer, you need to download the program through another device and then try to copy it.
It is possible that a system reset may be required for a full recovery. In this case, you need to take care of the data that is important to you. Fortunately, it can now be done on any device, regardless of the OS.
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