How Hackers Hack Your Smartphone

[Man]

I will tell you about the 3 most popular methods and give advice on how to protect your smartphone.

Salute to all, dear friends!

Smartphones have become an integral part of modern life. We carry our gadgets with us almost everywhere, storing personal and confidential information. If this data falls into the wrong hands, it can have catastrophic consequences. Hackers can use this data (logins, passwords, social security numbers, PIN codes and bank account information) to steal personal data, money, blackmail and commit fraud.

Today, hackers have come up with unique ways to spy on smartphones . They often use vulnerabilities in the device's operating system to hack it. Social engineering is used just as rarely, naturally, to deceive unsuspecting people and force them to download malicious software.

Three most popular ways to hack your smartphone:​

1. Via SMS or messenger message. Hacking a mobile smartphone via SMS is a fairly popular method used by hackers. By substituting the number, the message can be sent on behalf of a bank, government agency or someone you know without much difficulty and contain a link that will download malware to the device. The SMS text will prompt the user to click on the link. As a result, the hacker can gain access to the data on the device. In some cases, your phone can be hacked even if you do not open the message. Not long ago, there was a flaw in iOS that allowed an iPhone to be hacked even if the victim did not open the message.
2. Via public Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi networks are often unsecured. They can be used to hack your phone, monitor your data, and carry out attacks on your device. When you connect to Wi-Fi, the router records the MAC address and IP address of your mobile phone. On a Wi-Fi network, data is transmitted using data packets. A hacker can use public Wi-Fi to carry out the following attacks:
   • Man-in-the-middle attack: a hacker inserts himself between the router and your smartphone in order to intercept data and replace/track it.
   • Packet sniffing: Hacker software that monitors data packets sent between your mobile device and the server. So, if you enter usernames and passwords when connecting to a public Wi-Fi network, a hacker can view it.
3. With a smartphone spy app. The popular spy app Xnspy is used to steal information from smartphones and tablets. This software can be installed on both iPhone and Android. Although the app is designed for parental and employee monitoring, hackers use it to spy on your smartphone. The app tracks activity, records data, and sends it to the hacker.

What can a hacker control with Xnspy?​

• Call log, contact list, and text messages. The app records all incoming, outgoing, and missed calls with the time and date of each call. In addition to this, the app monitors the contact list on the device. In addition, the app monitors messages sent via text messages and instant messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messages, Skype, WhatsApp, and more. The app also records the sender and recipient details of each text message. A hacker will know who you talked to, for how long, and when.
• Xnspy also offers a keylogger, a feature that records all keystrokes on a device. A hacker can use it to obtain passwords and usernames.
• In addition, Xnspy monitors the media files on your smartphones. The app uploads the photos and videos saved on your device to the Xnspy server. You can view these files in your Xnspy account. In addition, you can also download these files to view them later. Basically, all your photos and videos are now available to the hacker.
• Internet activity. Xnspy can monitor emails, browser history, and bookmarked web pages. The app records the contents of emails, including the sender and recipient details. When it comes to browser history, the app tracks the URL of the web page and the frequency of visits to the website.
• Location tracking. Xnspy records the previous location and provides the current location of the mobile phone. This way, the hacker will know where you have been during the day.
• Recording phone calls and listening to the environment. A hacker can record phone calls. Moreover, he can use the application as a bug. Everything that happens around the smartphone will be heard, even if its screen is locked.
• Remote control: A hacker can completely control your smartphone remotely.

How to uninstall an application?​

If you have any such spyware installed on your smartphone, you may notice the following indirect signs:

• The device's battery drains quickly
• Data consumption has increased dramatically
• Some applications stopped opening
• The device locks itself.

Since the app works in stealth mode, you won't be able to find it in the list of apps installed on your device. So, the only option is to reset your smartphone to factory settings.

How to protect yourself from hacking​

Here are some tips to help prevent your device from being hacked:

• Don't use the same passwords for all devices and accounts.
• Do not open links sent in text messages or emails without checking the source.
• Install antivirus software on your Android smartphone.
• Check the apps installed on your device and remove any that you find suspicious.
• Make sure you have 2FA enabled for iCloud and other accounts.
• Update your smartphone's apps and OS regularly.
• Don't use public Wi-Fi without VPN enabled.

That's all for today. Take care!