How Do Hackers Hack Phones and How Can I Prevent It?
How do hackers hack phones? Several ways. Just as there are many ways you can prevent it from happening to you. Hacking is typically technical in nature but hackers can also use psychology to trick the user into clicking on a malicious attachment or providing personal data.The thing is that our phones are like little treasure chests. They’re loaded with plenty of personal data, and we use them to shop, bank, and take care of other personal and financial matters—all of which are of high value to identity thieves. However, you can protect yourself and your phone by knowing what to look out for and by taking a few simple steps. Let’s break it down by first taking a look at some of the more common attacks.
Types of Smartphone Hacks and Attacks
Hacking software
Hacking is an attempt to exploit a computer system or a private network inside a computer. Simply put, it is the unauthorised access to or control over computer network security systems for some illicit purpose.
Whether hackers sneak it onto your phone by physically accessing your phone or by tricking you into installing it via a phony app, a sketchy website, or a phishing attack, hacking software can create problems for you in a couple of ways:
Keylogging: A keylogger or keystroke logger/keyboard capturing is a form of malware or hardware that keeps track of and records your keystrokes as you type. It takes the information and sends it to a hacker using a command-and-control (C&C) server.
Trojans: A Trojan Horse Virus is a type of malware that downloads onto a computer disguised as a legitimate program. The delivery method typically sees an attacker use social engineering to hide malicious code within legitimate software to try and gain users' system access with their software.
Some possible signs of hacking software on your phone include:
- A battery that drains way too quickly.
- Your phone runs a little sluggish or gets hot.
- Apps quit suddenly or your phone shuts off and turns back on.
- You see unrecognized data, text, or other charges on your bill.
Phishing attacks
Phishing attacks use fraudulent emails, text messages, phone calls or websites to trick people into sharing sensitive data, downloading malware or otherwise exposing themselves to cybercrime. Phishing scams are a form of social engineering.
Bluetooth hacking
Professional hackers can use dedicated technologies that search for vulnerable mobile devices with an open Bluetooth connection. Hackers can pull off these attacks when they are within range of your phone, up to 30 feet away, usually in a populated area. When hackers make a Bluetooth connection to your phone, they can possibly access your data and info, yet that data and info must be downloaded while the phone is within range. As you probably gathered, this is a more sophisticated attack given the effort and technology involved.
SIM card swapping
In 2019, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey suffered a SIM swap that resulted in hackers posting racist comments on his account
SIM card swapping occurs when a hacker contacts your phone provider, pretends to be you, and then asks for a replacement SIM card. Once the provider sends the new SIM to the hacker, the old SIM card will be deactivated, and your phone number will be effectively stolen. This means the hacker has taken control of your phone calls, messages, and so forth . This method of hacking requires the seemingly not-so-easy task of impersonating someone else, yet clearly, it happened to the CEO of a major tech company.
tips to prevent your phone from being hacked
1. Use comprehensive security software on your phone.
2. Update your phone and its apps.
3. Stay safer on the go with a VPN.
4. Encrypt your phone.
5. Turn off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use.
6. Steer clear of third-party app stores.
7. Enable two-factor authentication
8. Don't use spam website and never mention your email and mobile number, OTP on unknown website and links.
9. Don't Click on unknown links.
10. Never share OTP And password on phone calls.
Conclusion
Smartphones have become an essential part of our daily lives. Once you know about how your phone can be hacked, you can take various safety precautions to protect it from data theft. Furthermore, it will also keep your data secure from opportunist thieves or state-sponsored spies!