My LG Phone Has Been Hacked – What Do I Do?

The motivation for hackers generally falls into one of two categories. The first is hackers that may or may not know you personally who are looking to steal your personal information for financial gain. They will hack into your phone using a phishing scam, for example, to obtain bank and card details and then steal your money or identity. Another arguably more sinister breach may come from sources closer to home. These hackers are often personal connections whose objective is to track your location or watch what you are doing on your phone. This is done via spyware, or ‘spouseware’; named because of the prevalence of people using this type of spyware on their partners.

When it comes to LG cell phones specifically, stories surfaced last year about vulnerabilities that directly impact the LG bootloader, a piece of firmware separate from the Android OS that is unique to each smartphone vendor. It is the first piece of code that runs when a user starts their device, and it ensures that smartphone firmware and the Android OS itself boot up in a correct and secure manner.

In these very specific and targeted attacks, the component’s graphics package contains a bug. This bug lets attackers embed their own code to run alongside the bootloader under certain conditions, such as when the battery dies out and the device is in the bootloader’s Download Mode. It enables them to track your device while remaining completely hidden.

The question is, what steps should you be taking if your LG cell phone is hacked?

Run a scan with Google Play Protect

One way to combat security breaches is to run a scan via Google Play Protect. Google Play Protect allows you to detect malware anytime you think your smartphone is in danger. So, how do you use it to detect breaches?

1. First of all, open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap the Menu button.
3. Tap Play Protect.
4. Tap Scan and wait for the scan to complete.

Use Certo Mobile Security

While Google Play Protect is a good start, if you want to perform a more thorough check of your LG Phone’s security, then you should install and run Certo Mobile Security, our free app available to download from the Play Store. As well as performing a deep scan of your device, Certo Mobile Security is able to identify apps that can track your location and check for critical system settings. This can make all the difference between a secure device and a hacker’s haven.

Maintaining good security practices once you have scanned your phone is vital. Choose strong and complex passwords, enable two-factor authentication where possible, and learn how to spot phishing scams. All these tactics work in tandem with applications such as Certo Mobile Security to keep you safe.