How to tell if your smartphone is infected with malware

Your smartphone is just as vulnerable to malware as your PC. With malware, hackers can access your device and from there they're able to compromise your emails, banking information, applications and any other data that might be stored on it.

Nobody wants this, but the problem is that in many cases people don't even realize their device is infected. So how can you tell?

Here's a few things to look out for that might indicate your device has been infected by malware:

Data loss

If you notice that your data plan is being eaten up faster than usual, that's one of the major telltale signs of nefarious activity going on. Most mobile viruses run in the background, sending data back to the hacker's server via the Internet.

Battery drain

Another warning sign is that your battery life seems to be draining faster than usual. That's because the virus running in the background eats up a lot of power and never stops working. If you find yourself having to charge your device more frequently than before, you might want to check why.

Apps crashing

Some forms of malware can have an adverse impact on other apps. If you notice apps are crashing more frequently on your phone, it could be a sign of infection. That's because lots of viruses have a habit of tampering with your regular operations, and it can make apps crash seemingly without any reason.

New apps appearing from nowhere

If a questionable app suddenly appears on your phone, but you can't remember downloading it, run for the hills!!! But seriously, this is not good, and you should certainly be skeptical of it. If you have no use for the app it's better to be safe than sorry and delete it as soon as you can.