Justin Drake Carroll Laptops

6 Common Signs Your Computer Is Hacked

Cyber attacks are an unfortunate but prevalent problem in our society. A new attack happens every 39 seconds. You don’t know when and where a cyber attack can occur, making it challenging to prevent them from happening. 

Sometimes it can be obvious when your computer is hacked. However, hackers are becoming more sophisticated. They’ve developed ways to infiltrate your private data and computer systems without you realizing it. 

This guide will discuss the top six signs that your computer has gotten hacked. We’ll talk about how to stop and prevent hackers once they’ve invaded your computer. 

1. There Are Unusual Apps on Your Computer

There might be new files and programs on your computer that you don’t remember downloading. Some red flags to look for include:

  • A new toolbar that you didn’t install 
  • Files on your desktop
  • Weird names in your activity monitor or taskbar

These types of apps and programs that appear on your computer are called potentially unwanted applications (PUA). Another term for them is potentially unwanted programs (PUP). 

These programs and apps are designed for some of the following activities:

  • Display ads
  • Monitor your traffic
  • Deliver malware
  • Redirect your searches
  • Monitor your keystrokes

The most common way people get PUPs on their computers or phones is via software bundles, usually free ones. You must review the license agreement before you download the software. It’ll say whether the installer will download multiple programs. 

2. You Get a Ransomware Message

A ransomware message is a pop-up that takes over your entire computer screen. You can’t close it or click on anything else.

The message will tell you that your computer’s data is encrypted. It also says that you’ll have to pay a fine to unlock your computer. 

This is one of the most common types of cyber attacks. Hackers infect your PC with dangerous ransomware that’s hard to get rid of. 

Ransomware makes a lot of money for computer hackers. They target these types of people:

  • Businesses
  • Individuals
  • Police stations
  • Cities
  • Government entities
  • Hospitals

Around 32% of people affected by this infection pay the ransom. However, they usually get only 65% of their computer’s data back. Getting one of these messages is an obvious sign that you’ve been hacked. 

3. Your Contacts Receive Strange Messages

Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram have made it easier for hackers to compromise your devices and spread malware. They can also use your devices to infect everyone you’re connected with. Email is a slow way to infect others with malware, but it’s a method hackers still utilize. 

For example, hackers can use your Facebook account to send messages to people in your friends list. An example message would be a video link along with a message that said something like “is this you?”

When the recipient clicks on the link, they’re redirected to a fake Facebook page. The page asks them to confirm their account with their password. That’s how hackers can access your social media accounts and lock them down. 

If your friends and family are telling you that they’re getting strange messages from you, your computer might be hacked. Look in your sent folders to see if you find messages and emails you didn’t send. Make sure all of your accounts are secured with two-factor authentication. 

4. Your Antivirus Software Isn’t Working

Your security tools getting disabled is a huge red flag. You might also notice that they’re not working as they should. This can include:

  • Failing to run a scan 
  • Automatically shutting down 
  • Not starting 

Most people don’t notice that their antivirus software isn’t working if they don’t routinely run scans. You also shouldn’t ignore early signs that your software is notifying you of. This could include the program telling you there are suspicious files on your computer. 

You’ll also want to be mindful of pop-ups that occur that look like your antivirus software but isn’t. Fake programs and webpages will try to look like an antivirus program, telling you that you’re infected. 

One thing to keep in mind for your online security is that your antivirus software won’t use a webpage to tell you that your computer is compromised. The software has its way to notify you of hackers. 

5. Your Computer Is Running Slowly 

A computer that runs slowly and constantly crashes is a common sign that you’ve gotten hacked. Unfortunately, many people think that bad WiFi connections or old computers cause these issues. These types of issues take up a lot of your computer’s bandwidth:

  • Remote control software
  • Malicious scripts
  • Malware

Since they take up so much of your computer’s resources, there are not enough left to efficiently run your programs. You’ll experience some of the following symptoms:

  • Programs randomly crashing 
  • Slow software 
  • Online games and videos buffering 
  • Media freezing
  • Slow internet loading times 

You can use your Task Manager to see how many CPUs (central processing units) each program is using. For example, an idle computer with no programs running should utilize 10% of your CPUs. A video game can take up to 50% of CPUs. 

It’s a major red flag if your computer is using over 90% of CPUs. 

6. You Get Random Pop-Ups

Pop-ups can be very annoying, but they could signify a larger problem. You could notice notifications from services that you don’t normally. These services could include:

  • PayPal transactions
  • Amazon AWG tracking numbers 
  • Apple offers
  • Adult content 

PUPs and PUAs typically cause these types of pop-ups. Delete any problematic toolbars and ensure your computer virus software is active. 

Contact Professionals if Your Computer Is Hacked

You shouldn’t wait to fix the issue if you think your computer is hacked. A professional computer and device repair company will know how to restore your computer. Failing to act promptly if your computer is acting strange could result in catastrophic problems. 

Whether you need help preventing hackers or need game console repairs, Fruit Fixed is here to help. Contact us today to learn about our services in Carytown and the surrounding areas. 

Justin Drake Carroll Android Phone

How to Prevent Viruses: A Guide for Android Users

With over 2.5 billion active users, Android is the most popular OS in the world. There’s no denying how quickly Android phones have become a part of everyday life. What’s not to like?

You can do practically anything you can imagine! Stay in touch with friends and family, find recipes and restaurants, and make stuff. With that said, there can be a dark side to technology.

There are hackers, scammers, and bad actors in every corner of the internet. Viruses and malware are a part of the fabric of the internet.

Learning how to prevent viruses starts with you. It all comes down to how you choose to protect yourself (and it is a choice).

If it feels fishy it is. You don’t want to fall prey to scammers from poor judgment. First and foremost, use your common sense. If you need to think twice about something, don’t do it.

Many scammers will attempt to bait or phish you. Be on the lookout for odd-looking emails that try to steal your information or money.

Would you like to know how to prevent viruses on your Android devices? Stick around to find out how.

Update Android

Be sure to update your Android devices regularly. Whenever there is a system update, click okay and let the phone do its thing.

When you update to the latest version of Android, you are keeping up with security and bugs. You will be prompted to update every so often. You could also check for updates in your system settings.

Install Apps From the Play Store

When learning how to prevent viruses on your Android phone, one thing we’ll advise is to only install apps from the Google Play Store. Depending on where you look, there will be apps available elsewhere.

When you do so, you run the risk of harming your smartphone. These sideloaded files could contain malicious files that could steal your data. Stick to the Google Play Store to find everything you need.

Apps You Know

In addition to downloading apps from the Play Store, you only want to install apps you’re aware of.

Before you download anything, run some research on the app. Check reviews too. Don’t download anything below a rating of 4.

Update Apps

It is in your best interest to update your apps too. Over time these apps will require updates. Otherwise, you will experience bugs or viruses.

To update, just head to the Play Store and go to the hamburger menu. You can choose to update the apps you want or just tap update all. 

Restrict Downloads With a Password

Do you have kids who you let borrow your phone from time to time? When you get your phone back, you may find some apps that weren’t there before. Some of these apps may contain viruses!

What you can do is set a restriction for your downloads with a password. Your child won’t be able to download anything with the potential to harm your device.

App Permissions

Every time you download an app you’ll be prompted with its permissions. Unfortunately, the apps you download aren’t as safe as they might appear at first glance. Some app developers or hackers don’t have your best interest at heart.

You don’t need to accept these permissions if you don’t want to. Before you put an app on your phone, be sure to think twice if the permissions seem okay to you. If forever reason you’re uncomfortable, keep searching for what feels right.

Any apps where you don’t agree with their permissions can be deleted from your device. This is how to prevent viruses.

2FA

When learning how to prevent viruses, you’ll hear many people suggest turning on 2FA (2-factor authentication). Think of it as an extra layer of protection against the bad guys.

The way it works is via an app, text, or e-mail. When you want to perform an action like logging into your bank account, you’ll need to do a secondary action following.

You’ll get a code to enter that will only work for a set amount of time.

Antivirus App

Sometimes you’ll just want to scan the entire phone to see if any bugs are on it. An easy way to do this is with an antivirus app.

Just like on your personal computer, you can clean your phone internally. Hit “run” on the antivirus app and let it do its thing. 

Be on the Lookout

Check to see if there’s any funny business going on with your apps or your account. For example, check your Google account to see if you’ve been phished. Your Drive may have scammers inside already.

If this is the case, contact Google immediately. We also encourage you to change your passwords frequently.

Now You Know How to Prevent Viruses

Just like you, your phone wants to stay healthy. You will need to give your phone a checkup. As you learn how to prevent viruses from entering your smartphone, you’ll be that much wiser as a user.

Sometimes, the job is too big to handle individually. The good news is that we’re here to help.

At Fruit Fixed, we fix it all from cracks to internal issues. You shouldn’t have to live like that. Our phones have become an integral part of our lives and you deserve the very best.

Are you experiencing Android problems? Could your phone use a repair? Start a repair today and you’ll have your phone back healthy in no time!

Justin Drake Carroll Laptops

When Does Buying a New Computer Make Sense?

Over 4.9 billion people are using computers in everyday life; this forms part of a steady year-on-year 6.2 percent increase.

Computers are here to stay. When computers go wrong, they impact everything in our lives. So when should you consider buying a new computer?

Whether you just use your computer for sending the odd email, looking up a few videos, or you run your home business from it, you will have to consider replacing a computer at some point.

There are several reasons why you may be considering buying a new computer. Perhaps it’s slow, not powerful enough, or just based on old technology, you will want to upgrade your old device.

If you’ve not shopped for one for a while, then you’ll find there are so many types of computers on the market. But how do you know which computer replacement is best? Read on to find out. 

When Should You Buy a New Computer?

Your computer lifespan is only finite and as much as you might be putting off replacing your computer, it will get to the point where using it becomes more of a frustration and a hindrance than a useful tool. Below are some of the telltale signs that you need to upgrade your machine to something newer:

  • If your machine has poor performance and is slow, sluggish, or hangs mid-process
  • If your machine is overheating for no apparent reason
  • If your computer freezes or won’t boot up
  • If you have hardware issues

Poor Performance

If your computer is beginning to show signs of failure or has become slow and sluggish, first try to investigate the cause. It could be as simple as needing to run an update on a piece of software.

Other causes could be that your CPU may be overworking and burning out due to the increasingly higher demand for CPU power from new software and apps.

If you’re using lots of cloud-based software, this too may be pushing the limits if you’re using an older computer for these tasks. 

Before you look into purchasing a new computer, you can try and free up disk space. There are free programs like CCleaner that help to remove any unnecessary programs and files from your computer. 

These may help to improve your computer’s performance and efficiency. However, if you’re still not seeing much improvement in your computer’s performance after this, then it may be a key indicator that it’s time to upgrade.

Overheating

If your computer is constantly overheating, it could be time for an upgrade! An overheating machine is usually caused by your CPU being overloaded from running multiple programs.

You can help minimize this issue by running only one program at a time and limiting usage of CPU-intensive apps, but if you’re a heavy user and need to work with multiple programs at the same time, then this may not suit your needs. 

Another cause of overheating is down to poor maintenance. Make sure that your computer is in a well-ventilated area, never obstruct the cooling vents, and frequently dust the vents to prevent internal dust build-up. 

If you’ve already tried to repair your computer and move it to a better-ventilated area and it still continues to overheat, then you might want to consider buying a new one. 

Computer Freezing or Not Booting Up

The dreaded blank screen or spinning icon can be a sign of excessive CPU load or insufficient random access memory (RAM). 

It’s incredibly frustrating when this happens, especially if you’re in the middle of something important such as work or a college assignment. It often results in the computer freezing or locking up, requiring a reboot and any unsaved work being lost in the process.

To prevent this from happening, optimize your computer by running system cleaning software to help reduce the strain on your CPU and RAM by clearing any unnecessary and unwanted files. If this still isn’t helping, then you may want to upgrade your computer.

Hardware Issues

Software requirements are becoming ever more demanding, and if you’re currently using an old computer, the hardware on it may not be able to keep up. 

If you’re trying to avoid purchasing a new computer, you might want to consider replacing hardware components such as RAM or graphics cards. If you’re finding your computer is running slower than usual, RAM is the most logical piece of hardware to look at upgrading first. 

Most computers have free ports available to accept extra RAM, and this can help improve performance and speed up the system. Other components you could look at replacing are the sound or graphics card, upgrading the hard drive or processor, or adding additional memory. 

The cost and benefits of refurbishing an old machine should be considered when deciding whether to replace or upgrade it. When you purchase a new computer, it will come with the latest hardware and software. However, if you’re on a budget, you may want to try and refurbish your old machine first. 

Ultimately, you need to weigh up the costs and advantages of refurbishing an old machine or purchasing a new one.

Different Types of Computers

One of the things to consider when buying a new computer is what type you want. Here are the main categories of computers available:

Desktop Computers

These are the most commonly used computers and are found in homes, offices, and schools. They are typically the largest of all types of computers and are designed to be used in a stationary location.

Laptop Computers

Laptops are portable computers that are designed to be used while on the go. They are typically much smaller than desktop computers and are powered by rechargeable batteries.

Tablet Computers

Tablet computers are touchscreen-based devices that are designed to be used while on the go. They are typically much smaller than laptops and feature a much wider range of applications than traditional computers.

Need Help Buying a Computer?

If you’re undecided about repairing an existing machine or buying a new computer, then speak to Fruit Fixed. Our team of knowledgeable technicians will be able to answer any questions that you might have about your old computer. 

They will provide detailed information about whether it’s worth repairing your computer or if you should bite the bullet and purchase a new one. Speak to our knowledgeable staff today to get impartial advice.

Justin Drake Carroll iPhone

The Main Reasons Why Your iPhone Is Not Charging

A few years back, Tech Republic reported that the average iPhone lifespan was four years and three months. While that lifespan may have changed slightly since then, it’s likely that most people aren’t hanging on to their iPhones for more than four years.

Why? For some, it’s the appeal of buying the latest model that leads them to make an upgrade. For others, it’s because the older their iPhone gets, the more glitchy it becomes.

A common complaint for iPhone users is that their iPhone is not charging. When you can’t charge your phone, you can’t exactly use it the way you want to—or at all.

Why does this happen? Read on to learn why iPhones stop charging and whether or not you need iPhone repairs to fix the problem.

The Charger Cable Is Damaged

Before you determine that the problem is with the phone, you should rule out cheaper, easy-to-fix possibilities. The biggest one involves the charger cable, itself.

iPhone charger cables are lightweight and, as a result, a little flimsy. Check the cable, especially near the USB-C connector, for signs of fraying. You can try to repair a fraying charger cable with electrical tape or invest in a new charging cable, altogether.

If there are no visible signs of damage to your charger cable, plug your phone into other cables to see if it begins to charge. If it doesn’t, then you know the issue is with the charging port and not the charging cable. (You may also want to test-run other charger adapters, as well.)

The Charging Port Is Dirty

We use our phones constantly and take them everywhere. Even if you have a phone case with a charging port protector, it’s still possible that there’s a buildup of gunk or debris that’s blocking the connection between your phone and the charging cable.

With the right tools and a little patience, you may be able to fix this problem on your own. First, shine a flashlight into your charging port to detect signs of lint or gunk. If you see any, turn off your phone, keep that flashlight handy, and grab a toothpick.

As gently as possible, use the toothpick to pull out the gunk and debris. Remember, the hardware inside a charging port is delicate, so go slow and don’t go digging around too much.

The Charging Port Is Loose or Bent

Speaking of that delicate hardware, there’s a distinct possibility that that hardware is loose or bent from typical wear and tear. Inserting and removing the charging cable can cause those little wires to get bent out of shape or dislodge the hardware completely.

This is an issue you’re not going to fix on your own unless you’re a total tech wiz. If you can see that the charging port hardware is damaged or you’ve ruled out other possibilities, it’s time to give us a call. We can often replace or restore that hardware so that your phone is capable of charging again.

The Charging Port Is Water-Damaged

If you recently dropped your iPhone in liquid or spilled liquid on it, we can only hope that you’re reading this guide before trying to plug it back in. If your iPhone was exposed to water or other liquids, the best thing that you can do is turn it off and give it at least 24 hours to dry out before you try to charge it again. (You can throw it in some rice if you want, but that doesn’t necessarily do much.)

Why is it important that your phone dries about before you plug it in? A small amount of liquid may not directly damage your charging port. However, when you try to charge it while that liquid is still in there, it can cause the hardware to short, which can create a slew of other problems for your phone and its battery. 

If you’ve already plugged it in while wet and suspect that it shorted, turn your phone off and give us a call. 

Your Phone Is in Optimized Battery Charging Mode

One thing iPhone users are noticing is that when they go to plug their phone in for a long, full charge, it often stops at 80%. What gives? Why won’t your phone consistently get to a 100% charge no matter how long you leave it plugged in?

This is actually something that Apple has done on purpose, and it’s meant to save your battery from damage. This function is called Optimized Battery Charging.

The health of your battery doesn’t correlate directly to the age of your phone, but instead the “age” of the battery, which can increase at a rapid rate if your battery is often getting too cold or hot. Using temperature sensors and machine learning, your iPhone will now go into Optimized Battery Charging mode to cut off the charge when your phone starts to overheat. If your phone stops charging at 80% just give it a couple of hours before plugging it back in and that should do the trick. 

Come to Fruit Fixed If Your iPhone Is Not Charging

Some iPhone issues indicate that it’s time to get a new phone. However, when your iPhone isn’t charging, it doesn’t always mean that the battery has gone kaput. Use this guide to do a little bit of troubleshooting and if you rule out the possibilities that you can address on your own, bring your phone to a professional.

Fruit Fixed can repair everything from iPhones to gaming consoles to watches. If your iPhone is showing signs of wear, tear, and broken hardware, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at our locations to find the Fruit Fixed location nearest you. 

Think you may need a new phone? We may have one in store for you. Take a look at what we have for sale.