Cybercriminals seem to be getting smarter every day. As our defense tactics develop, so do the malicious tactics of hackers. Unless an alert pops up on your screen, it can be difficult to realize your business has been hacked until it’s too late.
[Related: Boost Your Business with Solid IT Support]
How to know if your business has been hacked?
In order to prevent the loss of important information and save yourself the costly downtime that comes with being a victim of a cyberattack, you need to be aware of the following signs your business has been hacked.
1. Failed Login Attempts
One of the major first signs you’ve been hacked is a sudden surge of attempts to connect with your domain. If you’re being notified of multiple failed login attempts and password retries, it’s a bad sign. Ensure you’re utilizing two factor authentication or multi-factor authentication to mitigate this threat.
2. Unusual Network Traffic
If you are regularly monitoring your website’s analytics, you have a good grasp on where your traffic usually comes from. When you view your web traffic and see an unexpected increase from a seemingly random country or region, this could be a sign you’re getting hacked.
3. Phishing Emails
Did you know that more than 80% of data breaches are because of phishing attacks? Be wary of any suspicious emails from company accounts or individuals claiming to be business contacts. Never click any links or open any attachments from unknown senders. Train your employees regularly so they know best email security practices.
[Related: 5 Questions to Assess Your Company’s Cybersecurity Risk]
4. Unauthorized Financial Activity
If your company’s financial accounts look strange or off to you, or you’re missing a large sum of money, you may have been the victim of hacking. Turn on transaction alerts, check your accounts regularly for unusual account activity, and limit the amount of people that can access your company’s account.
5. Increase in Pop-ups
Pop-ups are the worst. And even if you use an ad-blocker, you might start seeing an influx of pop-ups generated from seemingly legit sites. If this is the case, your computer has most likely been hacked. Use the latest version of your browser, uninstall any programs or software that you didn’t install yourself, and ensure that antivirus and antimalware are installed.
6. Ransomware Messages
This one might seem obvious, but if you encounter a ransomware message, you’re in trouble. Ransomware attacks don’t only target big corporations. In fact, 82% of ransomware attacks are aimed at small businesses. Make sure all of your company’s important data is backed up safely, install antivirus and antimalware software, and keep your employees up-to-date on cybersecurity training.
[Related: How to Increase Cybersecurity While Working Remotely]
Protect Your Business with CMIT Solutions
CMIT Solutions of Bothell has years of experience supporting small and mid-sized businesses in a variety of industries with their cybersecurity needs. Our managed IT services include cloud hosting, data protection and backup, network security, system monitoring and more.
Contact us today and let’s get a plan in place to secure your business’s success and cyber safety.
Featured image via PxHere
