Now more than ever, small businesses are big-time targets in the eyes of hackers.
A 2021 AdvisorSmith survey of more than 1,100 small businesses revealed that 42% fell victim to a cyber attack over the previous year.
And according to Accenture, small businesses were the target of 43% of all cyber attacks.
But you’ve likely seen all kinds of stats like those already. You know the threat is a real one. What you need now is the ability to sense an attack when it occurs.
So, let’s look at four telltale signs that cyber criminals are infiltrating your business…
#1 Trouble Logging In
For any team member who’s been around your business for a significant period of time, logging in to your system is likely second nature. It’s an everyday task that requires a firm grasp of login information.
So, when the login process hiccups, it’s time to recognize the potential of a cyber attack.
And this doesn’t have to be widespread login trouble. A single hacker needs only access through a single user in order to wreak havoc on your system.
The hacker may unsuccessfully attempt to login and lock an account, or may successfully penetrate your system and change the password in order to barricade themselves inside your system.
In either case, when you or a team member struggles with the login process, it’s time to investigate.
#2 Lazy Internet Speeds
Sure, internet speeds can be slow from time to time for a variety of reasons. But if you see consistently slow speeds, a cyber attack could be the culprit.
That means it’s time to look for unusual activity on your system.
In this case, a hacker may have penetrated your system with unauthorized software. That software begins eating up your bandwidth as it carries our sinister actions, thereby slowing your internet speeds.
Search traffic logs and evaluate network data to find malicious behavior.
#3 Unfamiliar Computer Actions
One telltale sign of a cyber attack is when your computer starts to act a bit “off” with regard to its normal behavior.
For example, you might notice new installs that you never accepted. Perhaps the cursor moves on its own. Or maybe you receive antivirus popups at a higher rate than usual.
All of the above point to the existence of a cyber attack.
Of course, computers can glitch on their own. But the potential of an act means you can’t afford not to investigate the issue further.
#4 Altered or Missing Data
Hackers may employ a variety of strategies when penetrating your system, and two in particular can be the most dangerous.
First, they may wipe your data, which means deleting data from your system. In some cases, it’s impossible to recover this data.
Second, they may penetrate your system, then alter or delete certain files in order to remain hidden within your system.
Both points above illustrate the importance of perpetual monitoring and the ability to eliminate high-risk vulnerabilities immediately. Every second counts.
If you’re not currently protected with world-class cybersecurity, don’t worry. You don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands on IT staff.
Instead, turn to CyberMyte.
By customizing a secure cloud infrastructure to the unique needs of your business, CyberMyte becomes your very own cybersecurity department for the fraction of the cost of a single IT employee.
