Is your phone being spied on? Here are 8 warning signs you should not ignore

Your smartphone contains the essence of your private life: conversations, passwords, photos, and your location. This makes it a prime target for spyware. Although designed to be discreet, these programs sometimes leave traces. Here are the 8 main signs to watch out for.

The 8 Warning Signs

1. Battery draining too fast

    The sign: Your battery life drops drastically for no apparent reason (no poor signal, no heavy usage).

    The cause: The spyware, running in the background to collect your data, consumes a huge amount of power.

2. Abnormal overheating

    The sign: Your phone is hot to the touch even when you're not actively using it.

    The cause: The process of collecting and sending data abnormally strains the processor, which generates heat.

3. Slowdowns and crashes

    The sign: Your device, usually fast, becomes sluggish, takes time to open apps, or crashes for no reason.

    The cause: The spyware uses your phone's resources (processor, memory), which impacts its performance.

4. Skyrocketing data usage

    The sign: Your mobile data plan is used up very quickly without any change in your habits.

    The cause: The software must transmit all the stolen information (photos, conversations, location) via the internet, which uses a lot of data.

5. Suspicious activity on your accounts

    The sign: You see posts you didn't publish, emails sent without your consent, or purchases you didn't make.

    The cause: A hacker has stolen your login credentials via the spyware and has access to your accounts.

6. Intrusive ads and pop-ups

    The sign: Advertisements appear aggressively and incessantly all over your phone, even outside the browser.

    The cause: This is often an "adware" (advertising software), which is frequently linked to spy programs.

7. Strange noises during calls

    The sign: You hear echoes, clicks, static noises, or persistent interference during your phone conversations.

    The cause: This could indicate that a third party is listening to or recording your call. (This sign is rarer with modern technology).

8. Appearance of unknown applications

    The sign: You discover applications on your phone that you are certain you never installed.

    The cause: This could be the spyware itself or an application that is hiding it.

What to do if you notice these signs?

Do not panic and follow these steps in order:

1. Do not immediately reset your phone. This would erase the evidence and the attacker could simply reinstall the software later.

2. Scan your device with a reputable mobile antivirus (like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes).

3. Consult a cybersecurity expert. This is the safest solution to identify and neutralize the threat.

4. Immediately change all your passwords (email, social media, bank) but do it from a healthy and secure computer or device that you are sure is not infected.

5. Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) on all your accounts to add an extra layer of security.

6. Only as a last resort, after backing up your important data (aware that it may be compromised), perform a complete factory reset of your phone.

How to protect yourself? (Prevention)

- Download applications only from official stores (Google Play Store, App Store).

- Be wary of links and attachments in unknown SMS and emails.

- Keep your operating system (iOS, Android) and your applications up to date. Updates often patch security vulnerabilities.