Today's guest blog contributor is Eric Varela. Eric is a student here at CSU Channel Islands majoring in Information Technology with a minor in Security Systems Engineering.

Define Hacked: No matter how securely you use technology in your day-to-day life, you may eventually be hacked or more commonly called “compromised.” In this blog, you will learn how to determine if your mobile device or computer has been hacked and, if so, what you can do in response. Bottom line, the quicker you detect something is wrong and the faster you respond, the more likely you can reduce the harm a cyber-attacker can cause.

Clues You Have Been Compromised: It can be difficult to determine if you have been compromised, as there is often no single way you can figure it out. On the other hand, hackers usually leave behind several clues, often called ‘indicators’. The closer your system matches any of these indicators, the more likely it has been compromised:

• Your anti-virus program has flagged an alert that your system is infected, specifically if it says that it was unable to remove or quarantine the affected files.
• Your web browser’s homepage has unexpectedly changed or your browser is taking you to websites that you did not want to go to.
• There are new accounts on your computer or mobile device that you did not create, or new programs running that you did not download and install.
• Your computer or applications are constantly crashing, there are icons for unknown apps on your mobile device, or strange windows keep popping up.
• A program requests your authorization to make changes to your system, though you’re not installing or updating any of your applications.
• Your password no longer works when you try to log into your system or an online account, even though you know your password is correct.
• Your friends ask you why you are spamming them with emails that you know you never sent. 

How to Respond: If you believe your computer or mobile device has been compromised, the sooner you respond the better. Here are some steps you can take:

• Anti-Virus: If your anti-virus software informs you of an infected file, you can follow the actions it recommends (delete, quarantine, etc.). (Note: Most anti-virus software will have links you can follow to learn more about the specific infection.)
• Change your passwords: This includes not only changing the passwords on your computers and mobile devices, but for all of your online accounts. Be sure you do not use the compromised computer to change the passwords. Alternatively, use a different computer or device that you know is secure to change the passwords.
• Rebuilding: If you are unable to fix the infection or you want to be absolutely sure your system is fixed, a more secure option is to rebuild (reformat) it. Follow your system manufacturer’s instructions. In most cases, this will mean using the built-in utilities to reinstall the operating system. (Tip: If these utilities are missing, corrupted, or infected, then contact your manufacturer for guidance or visit their website.)
• Backups: The most important step you can take to protecting yourself is to prepare ahead of time with regular backups. (Tip: The more often you back up, the better. Often times, recovering your data from a backup is the only way you can recover from being hacked.)