[R] How to Tell if Your Laptop is Being Spied on

All computers despite security measures are vulnerable to penetration and infiltration, these are the common signs a laptop is being spied on.

Performance

If your laptop runs smoothly but you notice that all of a sudden it doesn’t work as fast as it is supposed to, this is suspicious. It can be a sign that it’s infected with malware like a worm or a Trojan horse. Such dangerous software can come to your computer through programs that you download, as it’s often disguised as legitimate software. They consume a lot of the processor’s resources, which makes your computer run slower.

Audio / Visual

It’s not a good sign if you notice that your webcam records and the microphone is on all by itself. This can be alarming, because if someone is spying on you, not only are they trying to steal your data, but they can also take photos of you and record your voice. It’s better to cover your camera with some tape, turn your microphone on only when needed, and change your passwords frequently.

Power

If some unwanted software is running in the background while your laptop is on, it uses its central processor power. Some programs like this can be spyware or viruses. A short battery life can also be a sign that someone’s cryptomining with your processor or it’s infected with malware. They cause a computer to get hot, and laptops to discharge way faster than usual.

Status Lights

Unknown sending and receiving of data through your laptop. When someone else is controlling your computer, you might notice that it has the send and receive lights blinking even if you are not active. A virus or a spy malware can download and upload data from and on your computer without you even knowing it.

Pop-Ups

Sometimes, while surfing the internet, you might accidentally click on a suspicious banner. This banner can inject your computer with an advertising virus that will make ads and plug-ins pop up all around your screen. Not only is it annoying to see, but it also allows hackers to get access to your data via your computer.

Redirects

If you search something on Google and it redirects you to an unfamiliar and suspicious website, instead of showing the results of your search, this is problematic. This might be an unwanted Trojan. In this case you need to check the extensions of your browser and delete those that you didn’t install yourself.

Stability

Hackers are always looking for new ways to collect your data. They can put a code into your apps to make them collect all the needed information. This can make an app run slower, act up, and crash a lot. To protect yourself, try not to put your financial data like your credit card numbers or codes into apps, and always create a complicated password.

Installations

One of the most common ways your laptop can be monitored remotely is through malware. You should regularly check the programs that installed. Sometimes some unwanted software can be installed, while you were trying to install something in a bundleware. If you notice some suspicious program that you’ve never tried to get on your computer — you should delete it immediately.