With the increasing number of cybersecurity threats, it is wise to stay vigilant about the signs that one’s mobile device is compromised. With the lack of ad-blocking capabilities on phones compared to desktop devices more vulnerabilities can be exploited if less than secure websites are visited. Furthermore, sideloading - the download of applications outside of the Play Store - is growing in popularity as it is an advantage of Android compared to the more closed-off nature of the Apple ecosystem.
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Apple has been very careful not to offer the same freedom to its users due to security concerns as it is quite difficult to ascertain the security of third-party applications before allowing them access to sensitive parts of phones.
As such, it is recommended to exercise the freedom allowed by the Android operating system carefully, understand the risks and perils of such downloads and, most importantly, look out for signs that make it clear a device is compromised.
Signs that your phone is under a malware attack
Stubborn pop-ups that do not go away
If you are suddenly seeing ads more frequently in a specific app this should raise your concern as a lot of ads of a suspicious nature will try to direct you to scam websites or get you to click on something that will infect your phone. Even The FBI is now recommending the use of adblockers when browsing the web as they have found that criminals are using advertisements to steal or blackmail people for money.
Your phone suddenly slows down
‘Cryptojacking' is a very popular exploit; it involves the highjacking of phone processors to mine cryptocurrencies. While you may be surprised as a phone processor might not seem capable of such a feat and you would be somewhat correct. It is actually the combination of many hijacked phones together that becomes very effective and lucrative for hackers.
Your browser will redirect you to NSFW websites
If you click on something unintentionally and it redirects you to an adult website,this should immediately raise a red flag as these are usually malware-infested and will infect your divice if you click on anything. Furthermore, the website that redirected you in the first place should also be a cause for concern. Leave it immediately and avoid it in the future. These websites - usually offering illicit streaming - are not worth getting spyware on your device or having your credit card information stolen if it is saved on your browser among many other nefarious scenarios.
Read more:
⋙ Google warns millions of Android users to delete these apps today
⋙ Google issues warning over 'infected' Android apps with millions of downloads: Delete them now
⋙ Google bans popular Android app iRecorder due to security threat to users
Sources:
PC Mag: How to Figure Out If Your Phone Has Malware
Android Authority: Millions of Android phones hijacked to mine cryptocurrency
IndiaTVNews: Your Android device is on a malware attack if it is showing these signs
