Nowadays, in the era of information technology, people use computers and computers; because the number of people using computers increases, they become “big bait” for hackers to attack machine accounts.
There are many different attack purposes, such as stealing account information, stealing data or simply hacking for fun to show talent.
In today’s security landscape, every device is at risk of being attacked in so many complex and sophisticated ways that it’s hard to detect.
The actual anti-virus and anti-virus software only gives us some peace of mind but does not make your system, information and data safe. So if you suspect your computer has been hacked, you need to do some of the following steps immediately.
Some things to do when your computer is hacked
- Computer isolation
- Remove hard disk
- Scan OS
- Data backup
- Reinstall the operating system
Computer isolation
The fastest thing you need to do is isolate your computer so that hackers can’t continue to steal your information and data.
This also prevents hackers from attacking other computers in the same office. , my company. To isolate yourself, immediately disconnect the network connection; if using a wired network, unplug it; if using wifi, turn it off and don’t use any strange software; maybe that software is installed by hackers. Only use the computer again after scanning the entire system and making sure the computer is completely safe.
Remove hard disk
If you are familiar with computers, to be more sure, remove the computer’s hard drive from the machine because the hard drive is where all your information and data are stored if a hacker steals your information. It hurts to believe.
After removing it, bring the hard drive to the centre, the computer repair company to check and solve. Another way you can do it is to plug the hard drive into another clean computer with a strong anti-virus program and then scan the entire hard drive.
Scan OS
If an infected machine is infected, it is impossible to ignore that virus scanning of the entire operating system and other hard drive partitions; please update to the latest anti-virus version so that the program updates the latest viruses. and destroy
Data backup
Check to see what level your hard drive is, then back up all the computer’s data to another device, at least to keep the original data of the hard drive.
Reinstall the operating system
Although you have scanned for viruses, some viruses are too new to make your anti-virus program ineffective, so please proceed to reinstall the operating system to refresh the computer.
How to prevent data theft and unauthorized access on laptops
- Set BIOS password
- Backup data
- Use a licensed operating system
- Use anti-virus software
- Camera stickers
Set BIOS password
Setting a password in the BIOS (the first program that runs when the computer boots) prevents changing the default settings in choosing the boot device (usually the hard drive).
This is a way to prevent some hackers from intentionally changing passwords through tools to gain unauthorized access to the machine.
To set up a BIOS password on your computer (Windows 10), follow these steps:
Step 1: To access the BIOS, turn on your computer and hit the Del, F2, Esc, F10, or F12 keys. On different computer models, the BIOS access key will be foreign.
Step 2: After visiting the BIOS’s Security or Password section, use the arrow keys to navigate between the entries.
Step 3: Under Security or Password, look for the item Set supervisor password, User password, System password or other similar options. Once you have selected the correct choice, proceed to set up a “strong” password.
Step 4: Finally, don’t forget to save the BIOS settings changes. You can press the F10 key on most computers to save the settings. Check the BIOS screen for the path or critical to keeping the settings.
Restart your computer to see the BIOS password message.
Backup data
If you don’t want one fine day all your data stored on your personal computer, tablet or even mobile phone to evaporate because the device is broken or stolen, you need to back up data.
Backup data means that you copy the data in your computer (or tablet, smartphone) and store it somewhere else in case your computer has problems, such as hard drive failure. I was seriously infected with a virus and lost my laptop.
Because you can backup your data to backup storage, you won’t have to worry about losing data on your smartphone.
The fastest way to back up data is using removable, portable hard drives, USB drives, DVDs, and VCDs.
The most popular today is online backup. That means you will store your data on applications that use cloud computing.
One of the most well-known is Dropbox (providing users with 2GB of free storage, but users will have to register for an account, it helps users to work with storage folders on multiple computers or devices). Mobile and sync files with a single click or tap).
In addition, you can refer to reputable applications such as Google Drive and iCloud to back up your data safely.
Use a licensed operating system.
Using a pirated operating system has many potential harms you cannot control. And of course, you can also list these harmful effects:
It is possible to get arrested while abroad because you are using pirated software, violating the law on intellectual property rights.
Inadequate functionality causes you to lose jailbreak time continuously.
Failure to patch security issues promptly causes the computer to be compromised from the outside.
Infecting malware (more unwanted code on the computer, broader in scope than viruses) makes it easier to steal data, severely reducing computer performance.
Use anti-virus software
Anti-virus software is software capable of detecting and removing computer viruses, overcoming the consequences of viruses and upgrading to recognize viruses in the process of using a user’s computer.
Currently, there are two main lines of anti-virus software on the market: Anti Virus and Internet Security. Anti Virus is a line of traditional anti-virus software, while Internet Security is an anti-virus software that integrates a personal firewall. Choosing the right software for your computer would be best, depending on your needs.
Camera stickers
This is a traditional but effective way to prevent hackers from entering the camera and making unauthorized recordings. You can use tape to stick the camera back when not in use. While operating systems have become more secure and anti-virus programs have increased security, nothing is absolute. Therefore, attaching the camera when not in use is a simple and effective way to apply it.
Signs that your computer has been hacked
Scanning the whole system for malware sometimes gives inaccurate results, especially the short scan time; the time between scans is unreasonable.
The reason is straightforward, hackers and the malware they create are “incalculable”, constantly changing tactics to suit each time.
Even a slight change of just a few bytes inside the malicious code makes it difficult for virus detection programs to detect.
Security vendors now also have methods to combat this; many anti-malware programs can monitor the state and behaviour of detected malicious code, thereby predicting other variations of dangerous programs that may appear in the future.
Some other programs use virtualized environments, monitor the system, detect network traffic anomalies and combine these factors to get more accurate predictions. However, with the new tricks of hackers, sometimes these ways are not effective and are easily bypassed by them.
Once the anti-attack programs become ineffective, you can rely on the strange signs and symptoms of the device to have solutions, fix or at least prevent them from attacking sensitive information.
In any case, security experts recommend that it is best to restore the system or reinstall the operating system. For some computer models, just one Restore operation is done. This is good advice because when a computer is infected, it cannot be trusted, even if it is scanned over and over with security tools.
The warning signals that your computer system has been hacked are listed here, along with advice on responding effectively in each case.
The first sign: Fake anti-virus notification
Although the technique for this trick has been known for a while, it is becoming more complex. When your computer has been attacked, a program (usually a pop-up web interface) will appear with the message that the computer is being compromised and in danger.
Currently, most people know that these messages are fake; if they follow them, it will be dangerous, but many naive people rush to follow them so that the computer is not infected with a virus. But clicking on these windows is to accidentally “process the enemy into the house”.
You will think, just press Cancel or turn off that fake message that the computer is safe. This is misleading, as most of these warnings are against vulnerable and updated utilities, usually the Java Runtime Environment or Adobe plug-ins such as Flash Player or Adobe Reader.
Using fake notifications as bait for users to download malicious applications, which used to be used to lure software purchases and distribute ads, is now being exploited by hackers to steal payment and credit card information. Hackers will have tricks to control the system and collect all information related to credit and banking.
How to deal with it: Immediately switch down your computer after seeing a false notification that claims it is infected with a virus. You need to carefully observe the signs to avoid being mistaken because the fake messages are designed to be very similar to the real news of anti-virus programs.
After shutting down the computer, you continue to restart the computer; press F8 after going through the boot screen to enter Safe mode to find and remove the application or add-on, plug-in or extension that was accidentally installed.
Finding malicious apps requires a bit of discernment and experience because it’s easy to delete other apps mistakenly.
After successful deletion, use your computer to monitor whether the messages still appear; if they still appear, use an anti-virus such as Trend Micro, AVG, or Kaspersky to update the database and scan. If it still doesn’t kill, you should reinstall or restore the operating system to the safest time.
2nd sign: Strange toolbar appears
The browser suddenly has many toolbars (toolbars) even though you have never installed them. That is the second sign that the computer has been hacked.
What to do: Most browsers allow users to preview and activate the toolbars they want to use. Right-click on the browser toolbar and uncheck the fake toolbars.
To be sure, you should obliterate it. For Internet Explorer, go to Control Panel > Uninstall a program, select the phoney toolbar, and remove it. With Firefox, you can remove it in the Add-ons section; in Chrome, you can do it in the Extensions section.
A small note is that when installing applications, such as browsers or downloaders, you should read each step carefully and uncheck or disagree with the terms in installing additional applications so as not to install unwanted tools accidentally.
For example, when installing uTorrent software, there is often a step that requires you to install the Ask toolbar or another name; uncheck or disagree with the installation terms, and the application cannot enter the computer. For situations where you accidentally install toolbars or malware, you didn’t read carefully but wanted to install it quickly by clicking Next > Next until Finish.
Sign 3: Search results show up on a “strange” page
Once you infiltrate your computer, hackers will find ways to exploit the user’s behaviour to collect information.
One of the simplest but effective ways is to produce search results that appear on a strange page; when the user clicks on the results, it will go to malicious pages, even though it searches with Google or any other search engine.
The pages they redirect to may tempt you to take surveys for some purpose to receive valuable gifts, download free apps with many attractive functions, or buy cheap goods to collect information. Online payment information.
When there were suspicions about the search results and the browser coming in, many people checked the same keyword on another computer or phone to see if the listing results were the same.
That’s an effective way to do it, but it’s also possible that the other computer has been infected with a virus.
Technical experts can confirm whether the computer is attacked or not when there are strange signs by monitoring bandwidth traffic. When a browser is hacked, the amount of traffic sent and returned is much more significant than that of a secure computer.
What to do: Remove risky search engines by doing the same actions as in the second sign.
4th sign: Continuous appearance of pop-ups
The typical symptom for this sign is that you are annoyed with lots of windows with content ranging from ads containing porn banners to fake freeware download requests appearing on the screen. Usually, the number of pop-ups that arise is not fixed but very random, and so is the number of times. Sometimes for more than 30 minutes, you don’t see any pop-ups, but sometimes in just 1 minute, you get dozens of pop-ups.
Usually, these pop-ups are immune to anti-pop-up tools; even if you install blocking tools, they won’t work. Surely the content on the pop-up window will lead to malicious pages; the frequency and number of appearances also make you accidentally click the wrong button, achieving the purpose.
How to handle: In addition to removing the most recently installed tools and software that cause pop-ups, you should scan the system with anti-virus tools. If it still cannot be fixed, it is best to restore the approach to the best time to ensure the safety of information and data.
Signs your Computer has been Hacked and What to do 👇🏿👇
5th sign: Your loved one has received a fake email or text message from your account
The method of sending emails containing content that leads to a malicious page to the entire contact list in Contacts is often used by hackers to spread malware. Currently, most email content from hackers from the victim’s email address usually contains a link with an attractive invitation. In the past, attackers used to insert one or more attachments directly into emails, but this is not effective now because firewalls and new anti-virus programs can scan and delete them.
Current hackers also exploit the advantages of social networks, especially Facebook, to spread malicious code. Once the attacker has gained control of a Facebook account, the attacker can use the tool to send messages and update new status with malware links to the walls or mailboxes and statements of funds on the list.
The victim’s friend book. Current anti-virus programs also add utilities to combat these types of distribution. Still, attackers constantly change how they attack social networks to escape anti-virus control.
How to handle: Immediately after receiving information about malicious emails from friends, quickly scan your computer for viruses, and change the password for email accounts or social networks. Enable 2-step authentication to ensure the security of email accounts; refer to how to enable 2-step security for Gmail.
There are “stubborn” toolbars that cannot be removed in the usual way; please use the following method. Record the name of the “strange” toolbar and search on the search engines for the keyword “X toolbar + removal tool” (where X is the name of the toolbar).
6th sign: The password of an online account is suddenly changed
If one or more passwords of your email accounts, social networks, etc., are suddenly changed, these accounts are hacked. Many reasons stem from users following fake emails with instructions to change passwords, enabling hackers to take over other versions.
How to handle: First, find a way to notify your friends, partners and relatives that your account has been hacked and advise them not to follow what the hacker uses your account to seduce. Next, try to recover your password using the “Forgot Password” tool on the online services. Again, 2-step verification needs to be enabled to keep your accounts secure.
7th sign: Computer installs strange software on its own
The computer automatically installs unwanted software even though the user tries to press the Cancel button and cannot remove it, which is the next sign that the computer has been attacked.
In many cases, computers are installed with anti-virus software, but self-installed malware can still “pass” because hackers can create fake licenses for major software companies.
A malicious code (usually a trojan) has entered the system for this software to be on the computer and installed itself. It executes commands from the hacker to download other software packages to serve its purpose.
How to handle: With the hacker’s new trick, the built-in software removal function of Windows is no longer practical. You have to resort to more powerful tools, such as Autoruns. This utility can display all the installed software on the system, including the anonymous hacker software that the Uninstall Programs utility of Windows cannot recognize. You can disable strange processes and applications and, restart the computer, then remove them from the system.
The 8th sign: The mouse pointer runs around and stops at the target specified by the hacker
If the mouse pointer on your computer cannot be controlled, but it runs on its own and eventually stops at a predefined option, very precisely, the computer has been attacked.
How to handle: You need to disconnect from the network immediately when you have this sign because, most likely, the computer is being controlled remotely by a tool created by a hacker.
Then, use a secure computer to double-check that your banking and payment accounts are safe and change your password immediately. Finally, reset the computer or restore the system to factory defaults.
9th sign: Anti-virus programs, Task Manager, and Registry Editor are disabled
These are the most necessary ways to hijack the computer of every hacker. When disabled, the anti-virus, Task Manager or Registry Editor cannot be started; the related options will be dimmed. At this point, hackers are free to run on your computer without fear of being blocked.
What to do: There are many tools to re-enable the Task Manager or Registry Editor tools that you can see on the results from the search engines, but this does not solve it completely. Viruses and malicious codes are still on computers and spreading more widely. Therefore, restoring or reinstalling the operating system is the best way.
10th sign: Bank account lost money
The hacker has obtained the data necessary to carry out a transaction when you learn that your bank account has been lost.
How to handle: Quickly contact the bank or payment service to request to lock the account and carry out the necessary procedures to get the account information back. Then, reset (reset) all devices that made previous transactions and contain bank account information, from computers and smartphones to tablets.
Sign #11: Receiving calls about orders
Hackers have obtained your payment account information but cannot pay to buy goods; stores or online sales services must call to confirm before paying. You need to be alert to avoid losing money because of items you do not order.
How to handle: Cancel orders placed with your payment information, thanks to fear of intervention by the authorities to be protected. Then, quickly change passwords for online payment accounts and banks.
Final thought
Hacked laptop means that personal information, essential data or privacy issues are lost. So protecting your computer from theft or unauthorized access will help limit unwanted damage.
But no one wants their laptop or PC hacked one day. And if they have been hacked, there are also some ways to fix them. Above, I have guided you on handling your computer’s hacking. I am sure the above knowledge will help you.