How to realize that your smartphone is hacked and you are being surveilled?

Rapid draining of the smartphone's battery, independent activation of the microphone or camera, as well as running applications in the background of the smartphone without the user's knowledge, can indicate that the device in question has probably been hacked and its owner is being surveilled. Anton Nemkin, a member of the Information Policy Committee of the Russian State Duma, told RIA Novosti about this.

“There are several signs that you are being surveilled through your device. For example, this can be evidenced by the rapid depletion of the battery charge, the independent activation of various functions, such as the microphone or camera, as well as the programs that run automatically in the background," he said.

The MP emphasized that in case of detecting suspicious activity, it is necessary to immediately contact the specialized services provided by telecommunications operators to check and eliminate possible threats. Nemkin recommends using the short codes provided by the operators for quick diagnosis and carrying out this process with the help of qualified employees of the service center.

In addition, it advises users to store personal data on external drives so that the device can be safely restored to factory settings if necessary, minimizing the risk of losing important data.