It will happen when least expected. Business is traveling along nicely; your network is functioning smoother than ever, then bam… you can’t log onto your network computers. Or perhaps customers are getting spam messages or worst of all, your sensitive company and client information is being leaked.
Hackers are becoming more crafty and cunning, and are working harder than ever to get their hands on your precious assets and information. Even if you just suspect something is up, have your security checked up as soon as possible to secure your network and keep your systems and data safe. Want to know if you’ve been hacked? Here are the signs to look out for.
Slow Internet Connection
When hackers get access to your internet network, they take up the bandwidth for themselves. This can really slow down your business and leave you wondering what’s going on. If you have a sudden drop in your internet speed, talk to an IT consultant to run diagnostics and check if a hacker’s behind it.
Website Visitors Are Getting Turned Away or Redirected From Your Site
When a website gets hacked, search engines like Google can usually detect this and prevent visitors accessing your site. A visitor’s antivirus or malware program might also warn them against visiting your site. If your customers start complaining of seeing these messages or your visitor numbers drastically drop, be on the lookout for hackers.
Unfamiliar Programs Installed (Or Security Uninstalled) on Your Network
New programs may be getting downloaded all the time to your company network. Some of these may be intentional downloads from employees of useful programs, while others can be harmful programs masquerading as useful programs. Once hackers gain access to your network, they can also download malicious, unfamiliar programs to your network, which crumble your security systems and steal valuable data.
Hackers also remove security software to avoid being detected. If your security programs suddenly vanish, take this as a warning sign. Don’t just assume that any unfamiliar changes on your network are safe or should be there. Have these checked out by a specialized IT consultant before you place your trust in them.
You’re Getting Alerts From Programs Requesting Access To Your Network
Always hit ‘yes’ when those annoying popups appear requesting access to your network? You really shouldn’t. Never allow a program access to your company network unless you know exactly where it came from and who installed it. Allowing access to malicious programs could spell doom for your network.
Your Company Email Addresses Are Sending Spam
Are customers complaining about spam and malicious emails from you? Seeing emails in your ‘Sent’ box that you didn’t write? Once a hacker gets access to your network and company email addresses, they can take advantage of your contacts and connections by sending spam emails that look like they come from you. As soon as this happens, it’s important to act fast to stop hackers infiltrating all your contacts and systems.
Dealing with hackers has become an unfortunate daily reality for all businesses. Sometimes it seems like the better you’re doing as a business, the bigger a target you become. Don’t let hackers get the better of your business, catch them early by watching out for these signs. As soon as you notice suspicious activity on your network, talk to 1+1 TECH, about how to save your company network and keep your valuable systems and data safe.
