Computer hacking has become more prevalent in recent years, as technological advances and easy access to sophisticated hacking tools has made it simple for almost any novice script kiddie to hack into computers over the internet. But one of the worst aspects of computer hacking is that most often, the victims don’t even realize they have been attacked until it’s too late. Bank accounts can be wiped out, credit cards maxed out, personal information stolen, and much more. In this article, we will take a look at five ways you can tell if your computer has been hacked.

Fake Antivirus Popup

We’ve all seen antivirus popups, whether fake or legit, and they are all annoying. That’s why it’s so easy for computer hackers to compromise personal information from computers in this manner. Once a virus or malware is installed on a computer, the popups begin. Once a computer user clicks on the fake popup, they are taken to a phishing site, that is, a site that looks legit, but is not. For instance, it could be a bank site or a credit card site, but it will look legit. Once a user enters their personal and financial information into the site, they get an error, and they may not realize they have been hacked until their banks accounts or credit card accounts have been wiped out.

Redirected Internet searches

One simple hack that affects millions of computer users is a browser redirection hack. Each time the user types a URL into the navigational bar or performs an internet search, their browser will redirect them to another site. This is usually an affiliate link that makes money for the hacker each time someone visits the site. By compromising thousands, or even millions of computers, the hacker can make a lot of money. If you notice your internet searches being redirected, it’s a good sign that your computer has been compromised.

Fake emails to your address book contacts

If your friends report receiving fake and spammy emails from your email address or social media account, this is a good sign your computer has been compromised. Once the hacker finds a way into a computer, he can access the email or social media contacts, and send out phishing emails to all of those contacts, which in turn, may become compromised if they click on links in the emails.

Changed Passwords

This one is kind of obvious, as a changed password means that someone besides you has access to your account. Often, this means that a hacker was able to crack your password or your security questions. This is typically due to weak passwords and obvious security questions being created by the user. Any time passwords are changed without your permission, you should change your password and security questions immediately and notify the administrator of the account of the breach.

Financial accounts compromised

This is when people usually realize they have been hacked. When a bank account or credit card account has been completely wiped out, or even if random charges start appearing on your bill. This is typically the main goal of the hacker – a financial or monetary goal. Report any strange charges immediately, as you will usually not be liable for any unauthorized charges to your credit card or bank.