It just happened? Don't panic.

My WhatsApp got hacked

Good news: in most cases, you can take it back within minutes.

Do this, in order

1. Open WhatsApp and log back in with your phone number. The SMS code you receive automatically kicks out whoever took your account.
2. Turn on two-step verification: Settings → Account → Two-step verification. It's the most effective protection, and it takes two minutes.
3. Check Settings → Linked devices and log out anything you don't recognize.
4. Warn your contacts by SMS or phone call. The attacker often impersonates you to ask for money: a quick message protects them.

Avoid

• Don't click "recovery" links you receive by message: they're often a second scam attempt.
• Never share a 6-digit SMS code, even with someone who claims to be a friend.

My email account is compromised

Your mailbox gives access to many other accounts, so it's worth being methodical. But it's entirely fixable.

Do this, in order

1. Change the password from a safe device, for example your phone, rather than the computer you're suspicious of.
2. Turn on two-factor authentication, ideally with a dedicated app rather than SMS.
3. Check the auto-forwarding rules in your settings: some attackers create them to quietly keep reading your mail.
4. Review connected devices and apps and remove anything you don't recognize.
5. Then change the passwords of important accounts tied to that address, starting with your bank.

Avoid

• Avoid reusing a variation of the old password: a completely new one is far safer.

My hard drive is making an unusual noise

A clicking or scraping drive is wearing itself down. The good news: if you stop it right away, the data is very often recoverable.

Do this, in order

1. Turn the computer off right away, without waiting to make "one last backup". This is the move that saves your data.
2. Don't power the drive on again. Each restart can make the damage worse.
3. Write down what you heard (clicks, scraping, beeps): it helps a lot with the diagnosis.
4. Contact me or a properly equipped professional. Recovery from a damaged drive needs specific tools, but it succeeds very often.

Avoid

• No recovery software on a drive that makes noise: it forces reads and can make the data permanently unrecoverable.
• No freezer, despite what you may read online: moisture damages the inside of the drive.
• Don't open the drive: a single speck of dust is enough to ruin everything.

I clicked on a suspicious link

It happens to everyone, even IT people. What matters is what you do now.

Do this, in order

1. Entered a password? Change it right away on the real site, and everywhere you use the same one.
2. Entered banking details? Call your bank: block the card and check the recent transactions.
3. Downloaded or opened a file? Disconnect the computer from the internet until it can be checked.
4. Keep the fraudulent email or SMS: it's useful as evidence, especially for the bank.