5 Clear Indicators You Have a Virus on Your Phone
Did you know that smartphones can also be infected by malware? But how can we know for sure if there’s a virus or if it’s just a glitch?
There are five main strategies that we’ll explore in this article.
Both Android and iPhones can be infected, and these strategies can confirm if there’s a virus or not.
After that, we can take steps to keep our devices free of malware and our data secure.
1. Overheating and battery problems
Although batteries are wired differently, if they suddenly start draining, it might be a sign of malware on your phone. Especially if this comes accompanied by temperature spikes on the device itself, even when reducing the usage.
Viruses are often responsible for consuming the system’s resources, and thus the batteries last less, and the phone overheats. This is normally the main reason why your phone’s behavior is abnormal.
To sum up, if you have a brand-new phone and you suddenly notice that the battery doesn’t last or that it heats up too much, investigate a bit more.
2. The phone crashes and gets slow
Crashes and freezes are especially worrying if the phone is new or has been purchased less than a year ago. It can also be a sign of a virus if the problem begins out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, a malware infection can have the following effects:
Paying attention to these warning signs is fundamental because data security might be at risk.
Nowadays, we all have sensitive information (think bank apps, for example) that cannot be leaked to third parties under any circumstance.
3. Unexplained charges and increased data usage
Finances are important, and this includes the phone bill. Checking out the data usage might clue us in when there’s a problem with the security of our mobiles.
If there are sudden overcharges for data consumption or even charges for services you haven’t used, it’s time to act. Viruses can “disguise” themselves and not appear on the screen, but they still take up space on our phones and, more importantly, consume data all the time.
Any unexplained activity on the phone might be a sign of a malware infection we need to remove as soon as possible.
4. There are pop-ups and unwanted ads out of the blue
Many apps use ads to finance their expenses, so they offer premium subscription services. But it might be a warning sign if you’re suddenly bombarded with ads and pop-ups, even when you’re not using the apps.
It’s also important to check once in a while if you have new unrecognized apps that you haven’t installed. Most likely, they have been downloaded from those ads as soon as you touched the screen to close them.
This is one of the strongest signs of a virus on your phone.
5. Weird glitches and unauthorized access to your data
Some of the malware on the internet might access our personal information without us authorizing this action.
To detect it, pay attention to these clues:
Too often, viruses have one goal: to steal financial information. Many people let time pass and blame their phone companies for malware behavior, and the result is financial losses and even identity theft. It’s important to stay vigilant when using our devices and act at the first warning sign.
It’s crucial to act if you even suspect that your phone has a virus since you can lose vital information, like financial data, for starters. Here’s what to do:
It’s crucial to stay vigilant surrounding personal information, and the only way to do so is by taking precautions before anything happens.
Smartphones have become essential tools in our life. From appointments to banking apps to games and work, we use them for everything.
A malware attack can prove catastrophic if we ignore the warning signs, like a drained battery, slow performance, and weird data usage.
Remember to download a good antivirus app, update your device, download only the things you need, and get a reliable VPN service to protect your data when using public Wi-Fi.
There are five main strategies that we’ll explore in this article.
Both Android and iPhones can be infected, and these strategies can confirm if there’s a virus or not.
After that, we can take steps to keep our devices free of malware and our data secure.
1. Overheating and battery problems
Although batteries are wired differently, if they suddenly start draining, it might be a sign of malware on your phone. Especially if this comes accompanied by temperature spikes on the device itself, even when reducing the usage.
Viruses are often responsible for consuming the system’s resources, and thus the batteries last less, and the phone overheats. This is normally the main reason why your phone’s behavior is abnormal.
To sum up, if you have a brand-new phone and you suddenly notice that the battery doesn’t last or that it heats up too much, investigate a bit more.
2. The phone crashes and gets slow
Crashes and freezes are especially worrying if the phone is new or has been purchased less than a year ago. It can also be a sign of a virus if the problem begins out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, a malware infection can have the following effects:
- Slow app response;
- Slowered performance overall;
- Longer than usual system response (freezing or taking a long time to register and execute an action);
- Sudden reboots;
- Crashes.
Paying attention to these warning signs is fundamental because data security might be at risk.
Nowadays, we all have sensitive information (think bank apps, for example) that cannot be leaked to third parties under any circumstance.
3. Unexplained charges and increased data usage
Finances are important, and this includes the phone bill. Checking out the data usage might clue us in when there’s a problem with the security of our mobiles.
If there are sudden overcharges for data consumption or even charges for services you haven’t used, it’s time to act. Viruses can “disguise” themselves and not appear on the screen, but they still take up space on our phones and, more importantly, consume data all the time.
Any unexplained activity on the phone might be a sign of a malware infection we need to remove as soon as possible.
4. There are pop-ups and unwanted ads out of the blue
Many apps use ads to finance their expenses, so they offer premium subscription services. But it might be a warning sign if you’re suddenly bombarded with ads and pop-ups, even when you’re not using the apps.
It’s also important to check once in a while if you have new unrecognized apps that you haven’t installed. Most likely, they have been downloaded from those ads as soon as you touched the screen to close them.
This is one of the strongest signs of a virus on your phone.
5. Weird glitches and unauthorized access to your data
Some of the malware on the internet might access our personal information without us authorizing this action.
To detect it, pay attention to these clues:
- Strange glitches on your phone;
- Alterations you haven’t made, like different backgrounds, changes in icons, or bookmarks, you have nothing to do with.
Too often, viruses have one goal: to steal financial information. Many people let time pass and blame their phone companies for malware behavior, and the result is financial losses and even identity theft. It’s important to stay vigilant when using our devices and act at the first warning sign.
How to remove a virus from your phone?
It’s crucial to act if you even suspect that your phone has a virus since you can lose vital information, like financial data, for starters. Here’s what to do:
- Download an antivirus app: search through the Google Play Store to find what works for you. It’s also important to check the reviews to have the best possible product. Immediately after the download, you should run a complete scan of the phone and keep the app updated.
- Get a VPN service: what’s a VPN? In a nutshell, it stands for “Virtual Private Network”, and it’s a good choice if you want to add an extra layer of security to your devices. It hides the data that makes the connection vulnerable and protects it from attacks. It’s especially advisable for people who use public Wi-Fi networks.
- Update the operating system: often, system updates are notified on the screen. Some people don’t pay attention to them and let time go by without updating their phones. This compromises their security. Most of the time, the updates have to do with security patches that protect your data better.
- Delete weird apps: uninstall anything suspicious, especially apps with low ratings. Be careful if you download something from other sources because those aren’t certified when it comes to security. Official app stores are best when it comes to finding and downloading what you need.
It’s crucial to stay vigilant surrounding personal information, and the only way to do so is by taking precautions before anything happens.
Protecting your digital information
Smartphones have become essential tools in our life. From appointments to banking apps to games and work, we use them for everything.
A malware attack can prove catastrophic if we ignore the warning signs, like a drained battery, slow performance, and weird data usage.
Remember to download a good antivirus app, update your device, download only the things you need, and get a reliable VPN service to protect your data when using public Wi-Fi.
