Technology

How to know if your computer got hacked, what to do next

Published

2 years ago

May 20, 2024

How to know if your computer got hacked, what to do next

Have you ever had that sinking feeling that something’s not quite right with your computer? Maybe it’s running slower than usual or there are new icons on your desktop that you don’t recognize. Well, you might not be just imagining things; you could have been hacked.

While the first reaction may be to panic, the best possible first step if you think you’ve been hacked is to disconnect your computer from the internet and take a deep breath. If you’ve got antivirus software already installed, run the scan immediately. But don’t worry just yet. Before you start fretting about cyberthieves and lost data, let’s take a moment to walk through some crucial steps together. From running a trusty antivirus scan to the nitty-gritty of browser settings and remote access – this is your go-to guide for outsmarting those pesky hackers.

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A woman grabbing her computer in frustration (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Were you hacked?

1. Run antivirus software ASAP

When you’re running any antivirus scans or troubleshooting, start from the actual antivirus software program. Don’t follow pop-ups or notifications. If there is indeed a compromise, it should show up on the dashboard of the antivirus software program.

Preventative:

Keep your antivirus software updated. Hackers are coming up with new viruses often, so if you are up to date, you’re less likely to be compromised. Or the virus is more likely to get caught.
Be familiar with your antivirus software notifications and alerts, so if you ever get a pop-up or notification, you’ll be more apt to notice fake ones.
Write down the contact information of the antivirus software you’ve installed and have it near the computer.

If you feel pretty confident that you’ve unfortunately been hacked, but your antivirus scan comes up empty, take a break and call customer service of antivirus software directly. Do not follow links to have a rep call you. Use the number you’ve written down, and call them directly so you know you’re not being duped.

If you don’t have antivirus software installed, make sure to install one and do a computer scan. You can find our top recommendations here.

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A man typing on keyboard (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW TO RECOVER A HACKED FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

2. Reformat or reset to factory settings

Sometimes a virus or other nefarious entities have overrun the computer so badly that you might need to simply reformat or reset it to factory settings. If you’ve uninstalled or deleted suspicious programs or applications only to have them reload upon restarting your computer, you may simply need to start from scratch. This is why it is crucial to have recent backups of your data. Our article, “How to securely get rid of your old PC or Mac,” outlines how to reset to factory settings or reformat your computer.

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3. Delete settings or extensions on browsers or uninstall and reinstall browsers completely

There have been many times I have gone to help my mom with her online accounts, only to be inundated with pop-ups, redirects or random links on her browser bar or menu. It turned out that she had either accidentally downloaded extensions that embedded themselves in the browser or, worse, changed the browser setting to open a spammy website as her main search engine or landing page. You can go to settings or preferences and delete extensions you do not recognize. But if these settings or extensions keep reappearing after deleting and restarting the browser, it is likely a bigger problem. Then, uninstall the browser and see if you can reinstall it. If that brings up the same settings again, then it could be a much more invasive virus or malware that needs to be addressed with an antivirus scan or assistance from a professional.

HOW TO OUTSMART CRIMINAL HACKERS BY LOCKING THEM OUT OF YOUR DIGITAL ACCOUNTS

4. Turn off or restrict remote access

While it is harder for hackers to access your computer if it is completely turned off, if you have allowed remote access, a hacker just needs your computer to be hooked up to a network or the internet in order to take over your device and turn it on.

To prevent remote access to your PC:

Click the Windows Start button
Input Remote Desktop settings in the search bar
In the Remote Desktop settings, ensure that the slider under “Enable Remote Desktop” is set to Off.
Review your current processes in Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) for any unusual or suspicious activities

To prevent remote access on Macs:

Click the Apple logo icon in the top left corner.
Click System Settings
Tap General
Click the Sharing icon
Scroll down and uncheck the boxes next to Remote Login and Remote Management to prevent unauthorized remote access.

A woman on her laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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5. Review your activity monitor on your computer and network traffic patterns

Periodically, checking your computer’s activity monitor to check which programs are running and what is using up the most bandwidth is a healthy practice. It will teach you to spot any programs or traffic that is unusual or if someone else is connecting to your computer remotely.

To review this activity on your PC:

Go to Control Panel
Click Administrative Tools
In Event viewer, look for the events that are related to startup and shutdown. Any shutdown will be listed there and which program or user-initiated that startup or shutdown. This way, you can see if these actions are that of a virus or an update process.

To review this activity on your Mac:

Go to the menu bar on the top left when you first log on to your account.
Select Go
In the drop-down menu, select Utilities
When a menu pops up, one of the first options should be Activity Monitor.

Or:

Go to your Applications folder on your dock (usually located on the bottom or right-hand side of the screen)
Go to Utilities folder
Select Activity Monitor

A man putting in his username and password on tablet (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Top 3 preventative measures to not get hacked

1. Turn on 2-factor authentication

While it may seem like a pain to enter a code received via email or text each time you sign in, this extra step is crucial for security. By activating two-factor authentication, you create a barrier against unauthorized access. Even if a hacker discovers your email or username, they won’t get far without the unique code.

Each login attempt triggers a notification, alerting you to potential threats. Repeated failed attempts will secure your account by either locking it or sending you an alert. In the event of suspicious activity, you can swiftly use a trusted device to reset your password and inform the service provider. It’s a small price to pay for significant protection against cyberthreats.

A man backing up his computer (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

2. Have strong antivirus software

The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware in an attempt to get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Plus, think of it like having a digital bodyguard – always on the lookout, always ready to defend you from cyberthreats. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.

3. Configure your email settings

Configure email settings to not automatically images or attachments (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If you configure your email settings to not automatically load content such as images or attachments, then it is harder for viruses or other malware to be automatically downloaded or accidentally opened. If you also have emails received first in rich text format, you can choose which emails load fully with images once you realize it is from a trusted source.

Gmail desktop:

Click the settings gear icon
Choose See all settings
Under the General tab, scroll to the Images section.
Select Ask before displaying external images
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes

Gmail mobile:

Tap the hamburger menu (3 horizontal lines)
Select Settings
Choose the account you want to manage
Scroll to the Images section and select Ask before displaying external images.

Apple mail:

First, click on Mail in your dock at the bottom of your screen
Then click on Mail in the upper left of your screen
Click Settings
Go to the Viewing tab
Uncheck Load remote content in messages

Outlook desktop (PC):

Click File
Choose Options
Select Trust Center
Click Trust Center Settings
Under Automatic Download, check the option that says Don’t download pictures automatically in standard HTML email messages or RSS items.

Outlook desktop (Mac):

Open Outlook
Click Preferences
Under Email select Reading
Choose Security
Select Never to prevent image downloads

Yahoo Mail desktop:

Click Settings.
Choose More Settings.
Click Viewing email.
Under Show images in messages, select Ask before showing external images.

Start Mail desktop:

Please note that the exact wording of the menu items and options can vary based on the version of Start Mail you are using.

Open Start Mail
Click on the Settings icon
Navigate to the Email section
Look for the Images or Privacy settings
Choose the option to Ask before displaying external images or a similar setting that controls the automatic downloading of pictures.

These steps should help enhance your email security by giving you control over which images are displayed, thereby reducing the risk of malware being automatically downloaded or opened. Always ensure your email application is updated to the latest version for the best security practices.

Looking for private and secure email solutions? See Best Private and Secure Email Providers 2024

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Data recovery: Protecting your information against loss

This may not seem relevant to an article about hacking, but having your data off your computer and safely on an external hard drive or the cloud will give you more options if you think you’ve been hacked. If you need help deciding what type of data backup would be best for you, please take a look at these articles:

If a hack is bad enough, sometimes a complete wipe of your system is the only way to salvage your computer. If you have a safe copy of your data, while it might be inconvenient, you will not lose all your data. Also, if you keep more sensitive data off your more frequently used computer, then your data is less likely to be compromised if you get hacked.

Kurt’s key takeaways

At the end of the day, being hacked is a massive inconvenience and can potentially lead to data loss or theft. But don’t lose hope. There are steps you can take to outsmart those pesky hackers and keep your devices secure. The key is staying vigilant and taking preventative measures like using strong antivirus software, enabling two-factor authentication and regularly backing up your data. That way, if you do get hacked, you’ll have a recent backup to rely on and can simply wipe your device clean without losing everything.

It’s also crucial to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity on your computer or network. If something seems off, don’t hesitate to run a full antivirus scan and review your activity monitor for any unauthorized access or programs running in the background. Remember, hackers are always coming up with new tricks, so it’s an ongoing battle to stay one step ahead. But by following the tips outlined here, you’ll be well on your way to keeping your digital life secure and hack-free. Stay vigilant, my friends.

Can you share a personal story where being proactive about computer security paid off or, conversely, where neglecting it led to issues? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The AI industry’s biggest week: Google’s rise, RL mania, and a party boat

Published

10 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

The AI industry’s biggest week: Google’s rise, RL mania, and a party boat

This is an excerpt of Sources by Alex Heath, a newsletter about AI and the tech industry, syndicated just for The Verge subscribers once a week.

Reinforcement learning (RL) is the next frontier, Google is surging, and the party scene has gotten completely out of hand. Those were the through lines from this year’s NeurIPS in San Diego.

NeurIPS, or the “Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems,” started in 1987 as a purely academic affair. It has since ballooned alongside the hype around AI into a massive industry event where labs come to recruit and investors come to find the next wave of AI startups.

I was regretfully unable to attend NeurIPS this year, but I still wanted to know what people were talking about on the ground in San Diego over the past week. So I asked engineers, researchers, and founders for their takeaways. The list below of responses includes Andy Konwinski, cofounder of Databricks and founder of the Laude Institute; Thomas Wolf, cofounder of Hugging Face; OpenAI’s Roon; and attendees from Meta, Waymo, Google DeepMind, Amazon, and a handful of other places.

I asked everyone the same three questions: What’s the buzziest topic from the conference? Which labs feel like they’re surging or struggling? Who had the best party?

The consensus was clear. “RL RL RL RL is taking over the world,” Anastasios Angelopoulos, CEO of LMArena, told me. The industry is coalescing around the idea that tuning models for specific use cases, rather than scaling the data used for pre-training, will drive the next wave of AI progress. What’s clear from the lab momentum question is that Google is having a moment. “Google DeepMind is feeling good,” Hugging Face’s Wolf told me.

The party circuit was naturally relentless. Konwinski’s Laude Lounge emerged as one of the week’s hotspots — Jeff Dean, Yoshua Bengio, Ion Stoica, and about a dozen other top researchers came through. Model Ship, an invite-only cruise with 200 researchers, featured “a commitment to the dance floor that is unprecedented at a conference event,” one of the organizers of the cruise, Nathan Lambert, told me. Roon was dry about the whole scene: “you can learn more from twitter than from literally being there … mostly my on-the-ground feeling was ‘this is too much.’”

Here’s what attendees had to say about NeurIPS this year:

What was the buzziest topic among attendees that you think more people will be talking about in 2026?

Which labs feel like they’re surging in momentum, and which ones feel more shaky?

What was the best party you attended or had FOMO over?

Yes, some people thought keynotes were parties. I guess academia lives on at NeurIPS after all.

Technology

How to spot wallet verification scam emails

Published

10 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

How to spot wallet verification scam emails

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Recently, you may have received alarming emails like the one below from “sharfharef” titled “Wallet Verification Required” that uses the MetaMask logo and branding.

These messages warn you to verify your wallet by following a link, but scammers use emails like this to steal your crypto information.

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FBI WARNS EMAIL USERS AS HOLIDAY SCAMS SURGE

Scam emails posing as MetaMask alerts are tricking users into revealing their crypto wallet details. (Photographer: Wei Leng Tay/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

What is MetaMask and why scammers love it

MetaMask is a popular crypto wallet and browser extension that lets you store tokens and connect to blockchain apps on networks such as Ethereum. Because MetaMask is widely known and trusted, criminals impersonate it in phishing campaigns that ask users to “verify” wallets and then harvest recovery phrases or keys.

What makes this email a wallet verification scam

The scam email copies MetaMask visuals and even routes through a Zendesk address to look more professional, yet the “Verify Wallet Ownership” button points to an unrelated domain that has nothing to do with MetaMask. That mismatch between branding and destination is a major red flag in crypto phishing attacks. It also relies on classic pressure tactics and vague corporate language. The body reads:

Dear Valued User,
As part of our ongoing commitment to account security, we require verification to confirm ownership of your wallet.
This essential security measure helps protect your assets and maintain the integrity of our platform.
Action Required By: December 03, 2025
Your prompt attention to this verification will help ensure uninterrupted access to your account and maintain the highest level of security protection.

Phrases like “Dear Valued User,” “essential security measure” and “Action Required By” are common in phishing emails that pretend to be MetaMask and threaten restrictions if you do not comply. Genuine MetaMask support will direct you to metamask.io or official apps and will never ask you to reveal your secret recovery phrase through a link in an unsolicited email.

In this case, the message even claims to come from “МеtаМаsk.io (Support@МеtаМаsk.io)” . That display name looks like MetaMask Support, but the real sending address is an unrelated Zendesk subdomain, which is a classic red flag. MetaMask explains that legitimate support messages only come from specific official addresses, so anything else should be treated as a scam and ignored.

Why mention Zendesk can be misleading

Zendesk is a legitimate customer support platform that many companies use to manage tickets and notifications. Scammers sometimes route fake alerts through such services or spoof similar addresses, so messages look like real support tickets, which can fool users who associate Zendesk branding with trust.

In this case, the presence of a Zendesk-style address does not make the message safe because the link still leads away from MetaMask’s official website and asks you to react to manufactured urgency.

NEW EMAIL SCAM USES HIDDEN CHARACTERS TO SLIP PAST FILTERS

Phishing messages urging MetaMask “wallet verification” direct victims to fake websites that steal recovery phrases. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Steps to stay safe from wallet verification scam emails

Taking the right precautions can protect your digital wallet and personal data from scammers.

1) Do not click suspicious links and use strong antivirus software

Avoid clicking buttons or links in unexpected wallet verification emails, even if they show the MetaMask logo. Instead, open your browser and type metamask.io yourself or use the official mobile app to check for any real alerts. Also, install strong antivirus software to detect malicious links, fake sites or malware that tries to capture your keystrokes.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Keep it updated so it can block new phishing infrastructure and known scam domains.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

2) Use official websites only

Always confirm that the address bar shows MetaMask’s official domain or your wallet provider’s genuine site before you sign in. If an email link sends you to a domain that looks odd, close it immediately.

3) Keep your credentials private

Never enter your secret recovery phrase, password or private keys on a site you reached by email. MetaMask support will not ask for that information, and anyone who gets it can empty your wallet.

4) Enable two-factor authentication

Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever your exchange or related accounts support it, since codes from an app or key add a barrier even if a password leaks. Store backup codes safely offline, so criminals cannot reach them.

REAL APPLE SUPPORT EMAILS USED IN NEW PHISHING SCAM

Criminals are spoofing Zendesk-style addresses to make fraudulent MetaMask support emails appear legitimate. (Photo by Felix Zahn/Photothek via Getty Images)

5) Use a data removal service

Data removal services can help reduce exposed personal details from data broker sites that attackers use to target victims by name and email. Less exposed information makes it harder for phishers to craft convincing wallet alerts tailored to you.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

6) Mark suspicious emails

Mark any fake MetaMask messages as spam or phishing in your inbox so filters learn to block similar attacks. You can also report phishing attempts through MetaMask and your email provider to help protect other users.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Emails like the one from “sharfharef” use MetaMask’s trusted name, polished design and alarming language to push you into clicking before you think. When you slow down, check the sender, read the wording and confirm the website address, you strip scammers of their biggest advantage, which is panic.

What questions do you still have about protecting your digital accounts and crypto wallets that you want us to answer in a future article? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

Technology

iFixit’s FixBot helps with repairs ‘the way a master technician would’

Published

22 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Press Room

iFixit’s FixBot helps with repairs ‘the way a master technician would’

DIY repair site iFixit has launched its own app for iOS and Android, featuring its extensive library of repair guides and resources, a battery health monitor, and a new AI “FixBot” tool that’s been trained on those same guides to help with repairs.

The heart of the new app is the company’s existing library of repair guides, optimized for your mobile device. You can save the devices you own, giving you quick access to the relevant resources, and buy both tools and replacement parts from within the app.

What’s entirely new is FixBot, an AI helper designed to talk you through repairs and troubleshooting. “You tell it what’s happening: your phone dies at 30 percent, your washing machine won’t drain, your mower sputters and stalls,” CEO Kyle Wiens says in a blog post. “It asks follow-up questions. It eliminates possibilities. It thinks out loud with you, the way a master technician would, until the diagnosis clicks into place. Then it finds the parts and walks you through step by step.”

iFixit says the bot pulls its answers from its repair guides, cache of PDF manuals, and user forums. For devices without a dedicated iFixit guide already, the bot “will do its best with manufacturer docs, targeted web searches and information from similar models,” according to Wiens. Right now FixBot is entirely free to use, but eventually its voice controls and document uploads will be limited to a $4.99/month paid plan, with access limits applied to the free version too.

There are other app-specific features that take advantage of being installed on your phone or tablet. If you have an issue with the hardware it’s installed on, it will automatically detect the model, saving you from searching. It also taps into your phone’s battery information to report on your battery health. Most modern phones now include built-in battery health scores anyway, but iFixit’s unique touch is to predict future battery degradation, helping you plan a replacement ahead of time.

“We want to demystify batteries for people,” Wiens told my colleague Sean Hollister. “It should be like an oil change, you know when you’ll need to replace it and plan on regular maintenance.”

The iFixit app is available now on both iOS and Android. It isn’t actually iFixit’s first app, but it’s been a while — the company first launched an iPhone app in 2011, but a few years later was banned from the App Store for tearing down an Apple TV developer unit. Apparently it’s taken until now to get App Store access again (and Wiens’ personal developer account is still on the naughty list) but hopefully it’ll stick this time — he says iFixit has made sure Apple knows it still intends to teach people how to open up their devices.