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Cybercriminals try to leave no trace as they break into bank accounts, phones and computers, but if someone is inside your social media and email accounts, there may be warning signs.
White hat hacker Ash Shatrieh uses techniques similar to those of real cybercriminals to “test” cyber defenses and warn people they are at risk.
Shatrieh, who works as a threat intelligence researcher at F-Secure, told DailyMail.com about the subtle but telltale signs that he has been hacked.
They include seeing different content than you’re used to on your timeline or stopping receiving notifications on your phone like you used to.
If someone is on your social media and email accounts, there may be warning signs.
It said: ‘In response to any suspicious activity on the account, you should contact the service provider and reset your password to something secure, ideally letters, numbers and random characters.
“In some cases, your device (such as a PC) could even be compromised by information-stealing malware, in which case it is important to run an antivirus scan on your computer.”
These are your signs to pay attention to:
Ash Shatrieh works as a threat intelligence researcher at F-Secure (F-Secure)
The content you see on social networks changes
If you suddenly start seeing unfamiliar content on social media, or content in new languages, it may be a sign that someone is on your account.
Shatrieh said: ‘Be alert to changes in the content you see on social media.
‘Sudden changes, such as an influx of posts in unknown languages or suggestions from accounts you haven’t interacted with, could indicate suspicious activity.
“Social media algorithms adapt to your preferences and unexpected changes may indicate unauthorized access.”
You receive messages, but no notifications.
If you see messages appearing in your account, but you’re not receiving the usual notifications on your phone, it could be a warning sign that someone else is seeing them first.
The hacker could have set rules within your inbox to divert certain messages so they can compromise more accounts, including bank accounts, Shatrieh warned.
Shatrieh said: ‘Be cautious if you notice the presence of new unread emails without receiving corresponding notifications and experience delivery delays.
“This could be an indication that hackers have set rules that can divert or hide emails from your inbox, suggesting that the hacker may be selectively posting certain messages while hiding others.”
Shatrieh added: “Check your inbox settings to see if there are rules that divert emails to addresses you don’t know.”
Very small transactions appear in your online banking
The goal of most hackers is simple: they want to get money, and as soon as they access an email account, they try to perform actions including compromising bank accounts.
Even small unacknowledged charges (like a few cents) can be a warning sign.
Shatrieh said: ‘Regularly review bank or credit card statements for unauthorized transactions. Hackers may initiate small transactions as a test before attempting larger ones.
‘Stay alert, even with seemingly insignificant amounts, and immediately report any suspicious transactions to your bank. If you see attempts to spend with your card, call your bank and cancel the card.
A new ‘trusted device’ appears
Most online services have a list of “trusted devices” – if you see one that isn’t yours, it’s a warning sign that something suspicious is going on.
Shatrieh said: ‘Keep an eye on the list of “trusted devices” or “connected devices” provided by service providers. Unknown devices, especially from remote locations, could indicate unauthorized access.
‘This information can help identify the potential source of the hack. Again, in Gmail you can do this by checking the activity logs.
‘Please note that one account being compromised does not imply that others are compromised; This could be an isolated incident.
A yellow banner appears below your email.
In Gmail on a desktop, you’ll see a yellow banner showing that someone is signed in from an unknown location; It’s below the email window.
Most online services will offer activity logs that allow you to monitor logins and can help identify hackers.
Shatrieh said: ‘Periodically review activity logs provided by the services to monitor login timestamps and IP addresses.
‘For example, in Gmail, an unknown location may display a yellow banner at the bottom. Investigate unusual activity, revoke unknown sessions (you can also request to log out of all connected devices), and quickly protect your account by resetting your login credentials. Remember, compromised devices can lead to a compromised account.
Your account is suspended
A key warning sign of malicious activity is if your account is suddenly suspended or terminated, Shatrieh said.
Shatrieh said, “Be on the lookout for unexpected account cancellations.” If you receive notifications about account suspensions or terminations, it could indicate malicious activity.
‘Contact service providers immediately to investigate and resolve the issue.
If you log out suddenly, this can also be a warning sign, Shatrieh said.
‘If you repeatedly log out without starting, investigate for suspicious login attempts.
“Check your active sessions, trusted devices, and list of login devices, and if anything looks suspicious, revoke access, change your password, and verify that multi-factor authentication is set up and working properly.”