We keep hearing about major businesses getting hacked or being the victim of ransomware. We all know to be vigilant and proactive in protecting our sensitive client and proprietary materials, but the best hackers can penetrate your system without you being aware of their presence. So, how do you know if hackers have penetrated your system? Let’s take a look at some of the telltale signs that your system has been hacked.
If your computer is slow or acting weird, it could be due to a hacker.
Identifying a hack
If you’ve ever had your home broken into, you will know that feeling you get in your gut as you walk through the door. You instinctually know that something is off, even before you realize that you’ve been robbed. That same gut instinct will help you identify a hack.
Computer is acting weird
When you turn on your computer in the morning and you feel like something is off, take note of that feeling. Don’t ignore it, because if your device is acting a little weird, it could be because of malware that has found its way into the system.
One major telltale sign that your computer has been infected with malware is that it is working unusually slow. If you’re only working on one or two programs but your computer feels sluggish and like it’s having a hard time keeping up, there could be invisible malicious forces at work.
Password and sign-in prompts
If you’re getting unsolicited emails about a failed login attempt or emails asking you to confirm or change your password, you should be very suspicious. Your system won’t normally preemptively ask for a password, login, or authentication code unless you’re trying to log in. These types of emails or prompts are most likely the act of a hacker phishing for information to gain access to your data and personal account details.
Friends and clients receiving unusual emails
If you see something, say something!
Another clear sign that you’ve been hacked is if anyone in your contacts starts receiving weird emails from your account. Hopefully, the receiver will alert you to the email, but you’d also be wise to periodically check your sent folder and any forwards in your email account to make sure that no activity is happening outside of your control.
If you see something, say something
Treat your business like Homeland Security: If you see something, say something! It’s much better to talk to your IT management company one time too many and find out that you are just paranoid than ignoring a problem and becoming the victim of a major cyber attack.
We provide full service IT solutions for our clients, including making sure that their systems are secure and hard for hackers to penetrate. If there is a problem, we can help you fix it quickly. Don’t wait to see if your suspicions are correct; do something!
