🛑 How to Know If You’ve Been Hacked — And What to Do Next

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From emails to routers to smartphones — here’s how to spot the red flags and reclaim your security.

The average person now uses hundreds of online accounts and multiple devices. Each one is a potential door for cybercriminals. And for businesses, that risk multiplies across teams, locations, and vendors.

At Gigabit Systems, we help businesses recognize and respond to digital threats. This guide gives you a plain-English breakdown of how to know if you’ve been hacked—and what to do next.

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🚨 General Signs You’ve Been Hacked

🔐 Passwords stop working

📩 Unexpected 2FA codes

📊 Unexplained financial transactions

📲 Unauthorized changes to devices or accounts

📨 Messages sent from your email or social media you didn’t write

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💻 Device Hacked? Here’s How to Tell:

Computer (PC or Mac)

• Sluggish performance, freezing, crashing
• Pop-up ads or unknown programs
• You’re locked out of accounts or the system
• Spam is sent from your device or business domain

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🛠 What to do:

Unplug. Run a full malware scan. Change all passwords. Restore from backup if needed.

Phone

• Battery draining fast, device overheating
• New apps, changes to security settings
• Strange texts or login codes
• Locked out of your Apple ID or Google account

🛠 What to do:

Run a security scan. Change passwords. If needed, wipe the phone and restore from a clean backup.

Wi-Fi Router

• Internet is slow or erratic
• You see unknown devices connected
• DNS redirection or browser hijacking
• Admin password has changed

🛠 What to do:

Factory reset. Set a strong admin password. Update firmware. Scan all connected devices.

📁 Account Hacked? Check for These Signs:

Amazon

• Address, email, or payment method changed
• Orders or reviews you didn’t make

Apple ID

• Devices you don’t recognize
• Unauthorized purchases from App Store or iTunes

Email

• Password reset alerts
• Missing emails, or contacts report strange messages

Google/Microsoft

• Login attempts from unknown locations
• Changes to personal data
• Unauthorized access to Drive, Outlook, etc.

Netflix

• Profile changes or sign-ins from unfamiliar devices
• Locked out of account

💬 Social Media Platforms

Social media hacks spread scams and impersonation fast. Look for:

• Posts or messages you didn’t send
• New logins from other countries
• Locked accounts or suspicious login attempts

🛡 Recover fast:

Change your password, enable MFA, review connected apps, and alert your contacts.

🧩 The Bottom Line

If it feels off—it probably is.

Don’t ignore signs like overheating phones, rejected passwords, or weird login alerts. The faster you respond, the more control you can retain.

🔐 Gigabit Systems Can Help:

We offer:

✅ Endpoint monitoring

✅ Cloud account audits

✅ 24/7 security alerting

✅ IT support for recovery

✅ Staff cybersecurity awareness training

👇 Comment if you’ve ever dealt with a hacked account or device.

🔁 Share this with a colleague or team that needs a refresher.

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Because 70% of all cyberattacks target small businesses—

I can help protect yours.

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#CyberSecurity #DataBreach #DeviceSecurity #ManagedITServices #MFA

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