Thursday, March 28, 2024

Five Signs Your Business Has Been Hacked

Share

You go to great lengths to protect your business from hackers. Not only do you have to make sure the right programs are installed and updated regularly, you and members of your team need to stay up-to-date on all the latest security vulnerabilities in identity solutions. That way you can anticipate potential problems and come up potential solutions before it compromises your business.

No matter how hard you try to protect your business from hackers, criminals are always evolving new methods of attack. That’s why stories of hacked businesses are always in the news. It’s not just big box stores either. Even an Iowa grain co-op was attacked.

There’s always the possibility that you have been hacked, no matter how well protected you think you are. It’s pretty obvious that you have been hacked if the hacker demands a ransom, but how do you know if your information has been compromised if the thieves aren’t demanding any money?

Unexplained Financial Activity

Perhaps the most telling sign that your business has been hacked is the appearance of unexplained financial activity. Make sure you check your bank and credit accounts to see if anything has been charged or withdrawn in the recent past that you don’t recognize.

If you come across a questionable charge, check with others who have access to that account before you assume the worst. You don’t want to find out that your partner bought new office equipment and just didn’t talk to you about it first.

You should also look closely at every transaction. Many criminals steal smaller amounts in just tens of dollars because they often go unnoticed. They often make multiple withdrawals over time when they see that you aren’t paying close attention. Every cent counts!

Emails You Didn’t Send

You aren’t always going to know if spammy emails are being sent from your account because the recipients of those emails may not notify you. They may not even know who you are!

Hackers love getting access to email accounts because sensitive information is often shared over email. They can also use your account to lure others to click on bad links.

You should take a look at your sent email every so often to make sure that what’s being sent is what you have actually sent yourself. If you see strange emails you don’t recognize, it’s a sign that you have been hacked.

Automatic Installations

You probably have your computer systems set up to automatically update whenever updates are available, but what about the installation of new programs?

This one can be tricky because your business probably uses a lot of tools, some of which you may not use anymore. However, it’s worth your time to take a look at your desktop and your hard drive to make sure there isn’t an icon or a program that no one remembers installing. If there’s something your team doesn’t recognize, it could be because a hacker installed it onto your computer remotely.

A Computer That Doesn’t Follow Your Commands

Computers can be a little buggy, especially if the technology is getting old or you’re waiting for the next update. However, a computer that doesn’t follow your commands on a regular basis could be a sign that there’s something else going on.

A few things your computer might do if it has been hacked include:

  • A bouncy cursor that seems to have a mind of its own
  • Your monitor flickers randomly
  • Unexplained slow-downs while you’re working
  • Redirected internet searches

Changes to Security Settings

You should always keep tabs on your security settings. Not only are more security options being offered that can make your business more secure, you may also discover that your security settings aren’t set up the way you want them.

Hackers like to go into the security settings on your devices and profiles and change them to their liking. Not only does this allow them to access more of your information, a lot of people don’t dig into their security settings once they have been set up, so they go unnoticed.

Adjust your settings and go back in a few days to make sure they are still there. If they are gone, someone nefarious has access to your system.

Not everyone gets a demand in the mail for millions of dollars from hackers when their database has been compromised. Some criminals have quieter schemes, which is why it’s so important to keep your eyes peeled for signs that your business has been hacked.

Read more

More News