Cyberattacks are a real threat to businesses everywhere, and hackers are getting more sophisticated than ever. The cost of cyber-attacks is increasing as well, not to mention the real threat posed by people in your organization, either through malicious intent, or negligence. If you think your business has fallen prey to hackers, it’s your responsibility to know what happened and do everything you can to plug the leaks. Here are some signs that your business may have been the victim of a cyberattack.
Ransomware Messages
This is one of the most obvious signs that you’ve been attacked. The computers on your network will be bombarded with pop ups asking you to perform a certain action, usually a payment. Most of the times, they will ask payment through cryptocurrencies that protect their privacy.
While some ransomware messages will be obvious, others will be more sophisticated. One example is ransomware posing as some government agency trying to lock down your computers because of some made up criminal charges. The solution in these cases is to never pay the money. Not only is it not guaranteed that you’ll get control back, but you can always go to your latest backup and start afresh.
Unusual Requests for Access
You should also monitor activity on your network and try to see if people are trying to download multiple critical files when there’s no need too. A large portion of cyberattacks are inside jobs, and in some cases, an employer, even higher ups, may want to access important data either to sell it to a third party or because they were disgruntled.
If you notice any suspicious activity or think you’ve been victim of a breach, you should consider working with a digital forensics service. If you’re based out of LA, there are several computer forensics LA teams that will look at your computers and try to see where the breach is originating from. They will also be able to tell the scope of the breach, and allow you to know who has been affected by the breach so you can work on notifying them as well as start working on compensation.
Remote Control
This is probably one of the most frightening types of attacks, but one that is becoming increasingly more common. A lot of people still find it hard to believe that someone could infiltrate their network and control computers remotely, but hackers nowadays are more refined and have stronger tools than ever. They can also monitor activity on a computer and use keystrokes to crack passwords. If you’re noticing that computers on your network are acting strange, or if you notice activity at odd times of the day, then this could mean someone has taken control of your network or a computer in your network remotely.
Cyberattacks are on the rise across the board, and it’s your responsibility to remain vigilant and keep an eye out for threats. Furthermore, make sure that your whole staff is informed as well so they don’t end up becoming a weak link.