7 Signs your smartphone may be infected with a malware

Smartphones are the doorways to our digital lives. From being a safehouse to our personal conversations to helping us keep a track of our financial lives, smartphones are PCs in a pocket that let us connect with the world with a single tap. Just like our PCs, our smartphones too are susceptible to getting infected with malware and viruses. Also Read: A Phone That Thinks And Moves? Honor Robot Phone Has A Camera That Pops Out

Admittedly, it can get difficult to detect the presence of malware and viruses on smartphones at time. This is usually done to ensure that users don’t detect the malware or anti-virus easily and it can go on stealing users’ data and other details covertly. That said, there are some tell-tale signs to determine if your phone has been compromised. Also Read: 6 Hidden Features In Your Phone’s Camera You’re Not Using

Here are top seven signs to check if your smartphone has been infected by a malware:

7 Signs your smartphone may be infected with a malware

— Battery Drain: This is one of the easiest signs to check if your phone has been compromised. If your phone’s battery is depleting much faster than usual, it could be a sign of malware or a virus running in the background.

— Unusual Data Usage: Malware and viruses also consume a lot of data as they are periodically sending the collected data to the scammers behind the scenes. According to security researchers at Group-IB, increased data usage without any reason may indicate a malware infection.

— Slow Performance: Just like your phone’s battery and data, malware also eat up a system’s resources, which can significantly lower down the performance. If your phone suddenly becomes sluggish or freezes frequently, it could be a red flag.

— Unfamiliar Apps: One of the easiest ways to check if your phone has been infected by a malware or a virus is by checking your list for any apps that look unfamiliar or that you may not have installed. Some of these apps may appear in your phone’s app drawer, others might just appear in the Settings app.

— Apps gaining new permissions missions: The researchers at IB-Group says that if you notice that certain apps have gained unnecessary permissions or if there are apps with excessive access to your device, it could be a sign of a security issue.

— Overheating: If you notice that your phone is over-heating suddenly sans any software update, it could be a sign of infestation, especially when couple with battery drain and performance issues.

— Strange Behaviour: If your notice that your phone is sending messages without your consent, or the apps are getting accessed apps without your input, it could be a sign of malware infestation.