Surprise, surprise…another data breach or phishing scheme has been announced in the media. It feels like this is almost a weekly occurrence these days. This is not a comfort for the typical business owner who is terrified of getting hacked.
So what do you do if you suspect your computer systems have been compromised? First, look for the symptoms:
- Your computer(s) is acting weird, maybe running slower than normal.
- There are new (and unfamiliar) pop-ups.
- You see changes to your homepage.
- Unknown programs open when your computer starts up.
- Unusual activity on social media.
Then, if you think your system has been breached, protect your business and protect yourself by doing the following:
- Disconnect the infected computer from the network.
- Run a full scan with antivirus software.
- Run a full scan of Malwarebytes.
- Contact your IT Department or IT Security Officer if your business has one. If not, consult with a managed IT services company like ours.
To help keep your computer(s) and data secure on a daily basis, follow these guidelines and make sure your employees follow them as well:
- Do not open any attachments to email messages or click any links from unknown individuals.
- Avoid attachments in email messages or links from known vendors if you can open the website separately and log in instead.
- If you are contacted by cybercriminals, do not communicate with them — instead, report the incident to your IT department or call your trusted IT partner if you don’t have one.
- Monitor your bank account statements and run a credit report if you suspect a hack has occurred.
- Do not store sensitive or embarrassing information about yourself online or on your mobile devices to avoid blackmail attempts.
- Create strong, unique passwords — and do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
- Never respond to requests for personal information or financial transactions via email.
- Make sure security settings for social media accounts are turned on and set at the highest level of protection.
- When entering personally identifiable data or credit card information online, ensure that the transmission is secure by verifying the website’s URL prefix includes “https,” or that the status bar displays a “lock” icon.
