How To Tell If Someone Hacked Your Mac
Signs your Apple ID has been compromised
Jun 21, 2020 If your system was hacked it is very likely that the hacker has added a new user to access it. To find out all users in MacOS perform the following steps: Start Terminal app by either going to Applications and then Utilities folder or clicking Command and Space and typing Terminal in. Jun 16, 2020 The best way to narrow down the field of suspects is to determine exactly how your phone is being compromised. Here are 9 steps to figuring out who hacked your phone. Your iPhone can be hacked, which is a terrifying thought. The good news is that there is a lot you can do to prevent and notice any criminal activity on your device. The only thing you need to do is stay aware of your digital surroundings, pay attention to signs, and rely on.
Your Apple ID might be compromised if you receive an account notification from Apple for a change you didn't make, or if you notice account details or changes you don’t recognize. For example:
- You receive an email or notification that your Apple ID was used to sign in to a device you don't recognize or did not sign in to recently (for example, 'Your Apple ID was used to sign in to iCloud on a Windows PC').
- You receive a confirmation email from Apple that your Apple ID password was changed or your account information was updated, but you don’t remember making any changes.
- Your device was locked or placed in Lost Mode by someone other than you.
- You see messages you didn't send, or items you didn’t delete.
- You see charges or notices for purchases that you didn't make. Learn what to do if you see an unfamiliar iTunes Store or App Store charge on your credit or debit card statement.
- Your password no longer works, or it might have been changed or locked.
- You don't recognize some or all of your account details.
If you received an email, text message, or phone call that you're not sure is valid or you think might be phishing, here are some tips to help determine its legitimacy.
Gain control of your Apple ID
If you think your Apple ID is compromised, use these steps to gain control of it and review your account information:
- Sign in to your Apple ID account page. If you can't sign in or you receive a message that the account is locked when you try to sign in, try to reset or unlock your account.
- Change your Apple ID password and choose a strong password.
- Review all the personal and security information in your account. Update any information that isn't correct or that you don’t recognize, including:
- Your name.
- Your primary Apple ID email address.* If you need to change your email address, update the features and services that you use with Apple ID, so that each one is using your updated Apple ID.
- All alternate email addresses, rescue email addresses, and phone numbers.
- The devices that are associated with your Apple ID, if you've already set up two-factor authentication.
- Security questions and answers. If you think they might be easy to guess, you should change your security questions.
- Check with your email address* provider to make sure that you control every email address associated with your Apple ID. If you don't control the email addresses associated with the Apple ID, you should change the password for the email address or use a different email address.
- Set up two-factor authentication for your Apple ID. This additional security feature is designed to prevent anyone from accessing your account, even if they know your password.
* In China mainland and India, you can use your phone number as your Apple ID.
If you completed the steps above and think your account might still be compromised, contact Apple Support.
Know which Apple ID is signed in to your device
If you're signed in on your device with an Apple ID that you don't recognize, use these steps to sign out, then back in with a different Apple ID. To make sure that you're signed in to Apple IDs that only you control or trust, you can check the following settings on each of your devices:
iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Settings > [your name]
- Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store
- Settings > Messages > Send & Receive
- Settings > FaceTime
Mac:
- System Preferences > Apple ID
- System Preferences > Internet Accounts
- Messages > Preferences > Accounts
- Facetime > Preferences > Settings
- Mail > Preferences > Accounts
- Calendar > Preferences > Accounts
You should also check iCloud for Windows, your AirPort Time Capsule or other AirPort Base Station, and your Apple TV (for iCloud Photos or Home Sharing).
Make sure your Apple ID is secure
Because you use your Apple ID for so many Apple products and services, you should make sure that your Apple ID is as secure as possible. You should be the only person who knows your password and can sign in with your Apple ID. If someone you don’t know or don’t trust can sign in with your Apple ID, your account is not secure.
Your Apple ID might not be secure for the following reasons:
- Someone else created an Apple ID on your behalf, or you’re using an Apple ID that was already signed in when you received your device.
- You’re sharing an Apple ID with family or friends. Your Apple ID is your personal account. If you want to share purchases with a family member, use Family Sharing. With Family Sharing, you can share a calendar, photos, reminders, and more without sharing your Apple ID.
- You don’t recognize the Apple ID that is signed in on your device.
- You shared your password with someone else intentionally or unintentionally. For example, someone else selected your password for you, you told someone your password, or you entered your password on a phishing site.
- You don't have control of the email address or phone number associated with your Apple ID.
- Your password is weak or is compromised.
- You share your devices with someone else, your devices are not protected by a passcode, or your passcode is easy to guess.
If any of the above are true, you should reset your password as soon as possible and review your account information.
As you probably know by now, pretty much anything with a computer chip in it can be hacked.
What you might not know is that hackers are busy attacking routers all around the world as we speak.
Vulnerabilities in some routers’ firmware code allow hackers to change some of the router’s critical settings.
For example, altering the Domain Name Server (DNS) settings enables them to instruct your router to send your Internet requests to malware-infested servers and fake websites.
If that happens it could result in malware being downloaded onto your computer or mobile device and/or having your identity and online accounts compromised. Bad, bad stuff for sure.
Luckily, our friends over at F-Secure have created a handy tool for checking your router to make sure it hasn’t been hacked. The test couldn’t be easier to use. Here’s all you have to do:
1 – Visit this page on the F-Secure website.
2 – Click the blue Check your router button.
After you click the button the tool will check your router’s settings to make sure they haven’t been changed to values that are known to be incorrect or malicious. The entire test takes mere seconds and the results will be displayed right on your screen.
If the test detects an issue, you’ll need to check with your Internet Service Provider to determine what the real settings should be. Your router’s manual should tell you how to change the settings back to their correct values.
And by the way, don’t forget to change your router’s password if it has indeed been hacked. The password I’m talking about is the password you use to access the router’s Settings screen, not the password for your Wi-Fi network (but I recommend that you change that one as well).
That’s all there is to it. Good luck!
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How To Tell If Someone Has Hacked Your Mac
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