How to check if your phone is infected with a virus

There are countless cyber threats lurking around, but perhaps none are more dangerous than a virus on your computer or smartphone. Use these quick tips to determine if your personal device is infected.

Device is hotter than usual

Your device becomes quite hot to the touch, even when not in use. When you accidentally download malware, the hardware inside the device immediately starts working harder to "support" the malware or virus that has been embedded.

This may cause your device to feel hot to the touch or even very hot.

Your phone keeps restarting

Devices may restart on their own when you haven't installed an important update or there's a random glitch in the software.

However, sometimes your device restarts because a criminal has access to it and is installing malware.

If this happens, turn off your device immediately. Take it to your technician to have your device thoroughly checked for possible virus infection.

You cannot access files on your device

When you suddenly can't access documents, videos , and pictures on your devices, chances are your device is infected with ransomware, one of the worst forms of malware.

This malware will lock or encrypt your files so you can no longer access them. It can also be a variety of “wiper” viruses that will wipe your device.

If your device is attacked by ransomware or a wiper, your only option is to restore your files from a backup. Here's an important reminder: Always back up your files.

The appearance of many pop-up ads on the screen

If you suddenly find your smartphone frequently displaying dense pop-up ads, this is an alarming sign.

If you take a closer look at your app library, you may even see apps you never downloaded. That's a sign that your device is infected with a virus or malware.

Your acquaintances receive strange links that you didn't send.

One trick hackers use when installing malware on your computer is to try to spread it as far as possible. The malware once installed on your computer may be given access to your contact list including emails, phone numbers or social media accounts.

If you notice your friends receiving links that you didn't send, immediately change your password and download a good virus scanner to find out the cause.

Thanh Thanh (Synthesis)

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