Cyber attacks are becoming common, so everyone is concerned about the safety of their data.
To prevent your passwords and other important data from being stolen, you should be aware of any changes to your computer.
In this report, the American Maximus website discussed the methods needed to find out if your computer is hacked, and how to deal with it.
Antivirus stop working
If you did not turn off the antivirus program but noticed that it stopped working, then most likely your computer has been hacked, as this program cannot stop working on its own, and the first thing hackers do is turn off the antivirus program to easily access your files.
The fan of the machine works more quickly
One of the simplest messages to know if a computer or mobile device has spyware, crypto-mining malware or other processing-intensive viruses, says Bill Siegel, founder of Coveware.
So if your phone suddenly needs to be charged 3 or 4 times a day, the fan runs more than half the time, and it's always hot in your pocket or handbag, this could be a sign that malware is running and burning more CPU power .
Passwords disabled
The site said that if you don't change your passwords but they suddenly stop working, and you can't open your accounts, your computer has likely been hacked.
Changing passwords on its own is evidence of a breach (Reuters)
Unknown lights appear
Another indication that someone else is controlling your computer is the flashing of send and receive lights when the computer is idle.
Suddenly increase the number of friends
And the site stated that if you notice the appearance of new friends that you do not know and do not remember that you added them to your accounts on social media, this is a sign that your account has been hacked, and that it is being used to send unwanted messages.
New icons appear
When you launch your browser and notice new icons on the computer interface, this is a sign that some dangerous icons have entered your device.
The cursor moves by itself
If you notice that your computer's cursor is moving on its own and highlighting something, your computer has definitely been hacked.
The printer is not working properly
Signs of a cyber attack not only appear on the computer itself, but also affect the printer, such as not responding to print commands or printing something you didn't ask to print.
The printer can also be affected by cyber attacks (Reuters)
Redirect you to different sites
If your browser keeps redirecting you to different websites, it should pay attention, and the same if you type something into the search engine and pages you don't know appear instead of Google pages, and if you see many windows often, this also indicates to hack your computer.
delete files
The site indicated that your computer is definitely hacked if you notice that some of your programs or files have been deleted without your knowledge.
Post your personal data online
Check it with a search engine, and look for information about yourself that you did not put on the Internet, if you find this information, then your computer is surely hacked.
If you find information that you didn't put online, your computer must have been hacked (Getty Images)
You receive fake antivirus warnings
The site stated that if you see antivirus warnings that look different than usual, this is a clear sign of a hack, and another bad sign is that you found a new version of the antivirus program that you did not install on your computer.
Unusual camera behavior
Check the webcam on your computer, if its indicator is blinking by itself, restart the computer and check within 10 minutes if the indicator is blinking again.
If this happens, then your computer is compromised.
If the camera indicator is blinking, this may be evidence of a hack (Reuters)
The computer is very slow
If the simplest operations on the computer are taking a long time, or you notice a significant drop in your Internet speed, it may mean that someone has hacked your computer.
What should you do
The best way to avoid a hack is to have a strong, reputable antivirus/malware program installed on your computer, says Troy Wilkinson, CEO of Axiom Cyber Solutions.
Fortunately, even advanced antivirus solutions are not expensive;
"These only cost a few dollars a month, so there's no good reason not to use one."
Here are some other tips to protect your computer from hacking and spyware:
• Avoid interaction with pirated material.
• Do not open suspicious emails or click on suspicious links.
• Make sure to use strong passwords.
• Do not use USB devices that are not yours.
• Use a firewall.
• Keep your computer up-to-date with the latest security software.
• Use of multi-factor authentication.
You should also warn your friends who have received emails from you that your computer has been hacked, and ask them not to open messages sent to them from your account, and to avoid clicking on any links sent.
In addition, it is necessary to alert your bank of a possible leak of your personal data, and find out how to protect your money.
You should also delete all unfamiliar programs that you cannot run, then install a reliable antivirus, scan your computer system, change the passwords of all your accounts, and if you still feel that the problem is not resolved yet, consult an expert.