10 Signs You’ve Been Hacked and What to Do About It

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common, and it’s getting harder to tell if your computer has been compromised. Hackers often try to cover their tracks, making it difficult to notice any suspicious activity. If you don’t catch the signs early, attackers may return to cause even more damage. So, how can you tell if you’ve been hacked? Here are ten common indicators to watch for, along with steps you should take if you notice any of them.

1. Antivirus and/or Firewall Are Disabled

This is one of the most obvious signs. If your antivirus or firewall is suddenly turned off, it could mean a hacker has weakened your computer’s defenses to make further attacks easier. Sometimes, hackers disguise this as a “bug” or “error,” so you might not notice right away. If your security software (antivirus, anti-spam, Windows firewall) is acting strangely—like launching and then closing, not working at all, or constantly minimizing—this is likely a sign of a breach.

What to do: Disconnect from the internet, restart your computer in Safe Mode, and run a full offline security scan. In the worst case, you may need to restore your system.

2. Fake Antivirus Notifications

Fake antivirus alerts are another clear sign of a hack. It’s important to know what your real antivirus notifications look like. By the time you see a fake alert, the hacker may have already caused damage. These alerts often try to trick you into buying a fake antivirus product, leading you to a fraudulent website that asks for your credit card information.

What to do: Force close the suspicious program (using Task Manager), restart your computer in Safe Mode without networking, and try to remove any newly installed software. Afterward, scan your computer with a legitimate antivirus and clean your registry.

3. Passwords Changed Without Your Knowledge

If your password for a website is suddenly rejected as incorrect, but you’re sure you entered it correctly and haven’t changed it, your account may have been hacked. Hackers often use phishing to steal login information, change your password, and even update the email address linked to your account, locking you out.

What to do: Contact support for the affected service immediately and provide proof of account ownership. Change your password as soon as possible.

4. Strange Emails or Messages Sent from Your Account

If your friends report receiving odd emails or messages from you, your computer or account may have been compromised and is being used to send spam or phishing links.

What to do: Remove any suspicious software from your computer using antivirus tools and cleaners. Be sure to change the password for any account that was used to send the messages.

5. Unknown Programs Installed

If you notice programs on your computer that you didn’t install, it could be a sign of malware. Many people skip reading license agreements or forget to uncheck boxes during installations, which can lead to unwanted software.

What to do: Use search engines to check if the new software is malicious or just a component of another legitimate program. Remove any suspicious applications.

6. Increase in Pop-Up Windows

If you rarely see pop-ups but suddenly start getting a lot of them, your computer may be infected with malware. These pop-ups often try to trick you into providing personal information or buying unnecessary software.

What to do: Review your browser’s installed extensions and remove anything suspicious.

7. Browser Homepage or Settings Changed

If your browser’s homepage, default search engine, or toolbars change without your permission, your system may have been hijacked. You might also notice new extensions, bookmarks, or trouble accessing antivirus websites.

What to do: Remove unwanted toolbars, programs, or add-ons through your system’s program manager or a cleaner tool. If the problem persists, restart in Safe Mode and try again with network drivers disabled.

8. Internet Searches Redirected

If you’re being redirected to websites you didn’t intend to visit, it’s a sign of a possible hack. Some malware redirects your traffic to other sites, earning hackers money for each click.

What to do: Look for suspicious software and monitor your internet traffic for unusual activity.

9. Mouse Cursor Moves on Its Own

While hardware issues can sometimes cause random cursor movement, if you see your mouse moving and selecting programs by itself, it’s a strong sign of a hack.

What to do: Disconnect from the internet, restart in Safe Mode, and perform a thorough system clean.

10. Sudden Slowdown of Your Computer

Computers naturally slow down over time, but if your system or internet connection suddenly becomes sluggish for no clear reason, malware could be using your resources in the background.

What to do: Install a bandwidth monitoring tool to see which programs are using your connection. Windows users can use the netstat command to view remote network connections and open ports, or Task Manager to check which processes are running and consuming resources.

Stay Vigilant About Your Security!

Pay attention to these signs and act quickly if you notice anything unusual. The sooner you respond, the less damage hackers can do.