Five Scary Signs That Your Business Is Being Hacked
You’ve probably seen the stories about the cyber attacks penetrating the security of large companies like Burger King, Jeep, Starbucks and even tech companies like Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft. Your first thought was probably, “I’m glad we’re just a small business and don’t have to worry about cyber attacks.” Unfortunately, cyber threats are not just for big companies anymore. Small Businesses are the number one target of hackers and cybercriminals.
Chesapeake Data Solutions has been helping businesses protect themselves from cyber attacks for over 20 years. In that time, hacking has only gotten more and more sophisticated. To make matters worse, hackers have gotten better at hiding their tracks. Hackers can penetrate your computer systems and remain hidden for months stealing data and causing problems. Keep reading to learn the five signs that your business has been hacked that can help you minimize the damage a hacker can cause.
In this article you’ll learn:
- 5 Scary Signs That Your Business Is Being Hacked
- The 3 Most Common Types Of Cyber Threats
- The 3 Simplest Ways To Protect Your Business from Cyber Attacks
Why You Should Worry About Your Small Business’s Cyber Security
Have you ever wondered if your business is vulnerable to cyber-attacks? Most small business owners believe they are safe because they are small potatoes, but the majority of cyber attacks target small businesses?
Why? Because hackers see small businesses as easy targets.
This sounds like a nightmare, and it is certainly quite possible. However, small business hacking is common. Over 50% of cyber attacks target small businesses with fewer than 250 employees. One in five small businesses will be hacked per year. These attacks can be absolutely devastating for small businesses. 60% of hacked small businesses go out of business within six months of the intrusion.
Business owners continue to see hacking as not a big deal. Almost 60% of small business owners believe that if they were the victim of a cyber intrusion that they would be able to resolve any issues quickly, but only 28% of small businesses have a plan to recover from a cyber attack.
Part of this overconfidence stems from the fact that most small businesses that are victims of cyber attacks do not know that their security has been breached. Hackers penetrate the small businesses' security without being noticed and steal data without the business owner ever being aware the intrusion has occurred.
Recognizing the signs of a cyber attack is the first step to recovering from a cyber attack.
Five Signs That Your Business is Hacked
Most businesses focus on their core operations. They do not dedicate time and resources to information security, hire a cyber security analyst, or work with a managed IT services team to handle their cyber security.
It means that their information systems and network could be at significant risk for potential hacks.
Data and information security in our digital world are crucial. It is no longer a matter of if your small business will be the target of an attack, but when your small business with be targeted for an attack.
If your business’s cyber security fails then your data could be taken, your financial resources could be stolen, you could be locked out of your systems, and more. An intrusion like that would have a devastating effect on your business.
Let us look at how you can see if your business is hacked.
Sign #1. Financial Transactions
First things first, financial transactions you do not recognize are a sign of a hack. This may seem obvious, but surprisingly most small business owners do not immediately connect financial fraud with a cyber intrusion. They assume their credit card information or bank account information was stolen in some other manner from an external site. That information, however, is often stolen through a cyber attack.
Luckily, the most effective ways to protect your business, credit card and bank account information are the simplest ways. Hackers, like most criminals, are lazy. When so many business owners don’t bother implementing even the most basic security procedures most hackers will move on after the first few signs of cyber security.
These basic cyber security efforts include:
- Use long and strong passwords.
- Make sure your passwords are complicated, including a capital letter, a small letter, numbers, and a sign.
- Note down all your complicated passwords separately.
- Always use multi-factor authentication, including a text message with your registered mobile number code.
- Always verify new payment details over the phone. It is better to avoid using email for it.
- Last but not least, keep an eye on all the transactions. If you notice an unplanned transaction, call the bank and take immediate action.
Sign #2. The Security Software Is Not Working
Hackers often use malware designed to damage your computers and servers? It takes down your computer network without you ever knowing. If your security systems are not acting as they should and you detect other activity within your system that is unusual, ensure to make a note of it right away and take action. Don’t wait because when you’ve been the victim of a cyber attack every second counts.
Getting a hacker out of your system once they have broken in is a lot more difficult than keeping them out in the first place. This is a case of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.
If you are unsure about your small business cyber security infrastructure contact your local cyber security professionals for a network assessment to evaluate your information assurance, cyber security, and infrastructure.
Sign #3. Your Systems Slow Down
Hacking takes a lot of energy out of your computer systems. It saps your processor’s computing power and can slow your system to a crawl.
If you notice your system is lagging unusually, there is a chance your business has been hacked. If your computer has a mind of its own, if the cursor moves irregularly, programs operate strangely, or open and close randomly then it could be hackers controlling it.
If you notice such suspicious activities, alert your team’s cyber security team or call a professional immediately.. Disconnect the system from the internet connection to be completely safe.
A health care provider in Woodbridge, VA recently discovered that their systems were running extremely slowly at their location on Old Bridge Rd in the 22192 area code. The slow systems were hurting productivity in the office in Lake Ridge near Occoquan. They discovered that they had been a victim of a phishing attack that had planted spyware on their network. It took a great deal of time and effort to remove the spyware and secure their computer networks.
Sign #4. Messages That You Did Not Send
If you notice messages on your phone or computer that you did not send, it could be a sign your system has been hacked. Malware likes to cause continual damage and some hackers enjoy being noticed once they have gotten what they want.
Further, if you notice messages in your inbox that you did not send or responses to services that you did not sign up for, be suspicious and complete an antivirus scan of your electronic device or devices.
Another great way to tackle the situation is by checking the Task Manager for windows. Look for any unusual programs that you don’t recognize. If you find any, google them. If the search results for the unusual programs show any danger then look to see if the program should be removed.
Sign #5. You Get Locked Out Of Your Account
The worst sign of hackers that hackers have invaded your system is, you can not access your accounts. You may have heard about this happening recently in the city of Baltimore.
If you enter the correct password and login details, and still can’t access your accounts, That’s a sign of trouble. If requesting a new password doesn’t work then you really need to be concerned.
Hackers have penetrated your accounts, changed the access information, and you are locked out. In this situation, if you haven’t created a plan to get your accounts back and do not already have a recovery protocol in place, there is little you can do to get your accounts back.
This is another situation where it is best to have planned ahead to prevent your accounts from being taken over by a hacker or having a system in place to get your accounts back before they are taken. If you have not taken these steps then it is even more important to take immediate action and contact your local cyber security professionals for help.
Ransomware isn’t just a big company problem. A small contracting company in the Springfield neighborhood in Fairfax County, VA was hit with a ransomware attack that locked down all of their computers at their location on Backlick Rd in the 22150 zip code near Hooes Rd Park. The contractor was faced with the decision between paying the ransom or hoping they could regain control of their systems. This company was lucky and through expert IT Cyber Security Service, they were able to regain control of their network.
What Are The Most Common Cyber Security Threats?
With time, the cybersecurity industry is growing and evolving to offer more comprehensive security and shield against attacks. On the other hand, the attackers are evolving rapidly to find loopholes and gaps in security more innovatively.
The attackers use many different ways to infect a system, steal data, and attack the system. However, some of the most common cybersecurity threats small businesses should worry about and focus on primarily are:
Phishing
It is one of the most common yet highly lethal cyber security threats faced by small businesses. In this form of threat, the attacker disguises themself as a reputed individual or organization and communicates through email, SMS, or other forms of communication to gain access to the system, infected with virus or malware, etc.
Such attacks are often meant to scrupulously fraud the receiver in one way or the other to access financial data or information and transfer funds.
Ransomware Attacks
As per the majority of the managed security service providers globally, ransomware attacks are increasing globally and are the biggest threat to small and medium-sized businesses. As per the data, one in every five small to medium-sized businesses are victims of ransomware attacks.
The ransomware makes its way to the system through vulnerable email downloads, emails, and other digital deliverables. Ransomware needs to be activated by clicking, opening or downloading. Once it is activated, it can potentially take over the entire system or maybe even the entire network.
Once the attacker takes over the system, the data and digital assets of the business are encrypted and made inaccessible. Until the business pays the ransom asked by the attacker, the data and the system remain locked and unusable.
Insider Threats
These forms of threats are caused from inside the organizations, mostly by employees, vendors, partners, associates, suppliers, etc. The employees may mistakenly open or download an email with malicious malware without scanning it for threats or verifying its authenticity.
At times, inside actors like partners or employees may intentionally harm the business through security attacks, causing data leaks, data loss, data theft, etc. Disgruntled employees are also known to leak sensitive data and information, passwords, business secrets, credentials, and more.
How Can Small Businesses Protect Themselves from Cyber Attacks?
While small businesses mostly don’t have their own IT department or can’t afford extensive cyber security measures, certain small steps can be easily implemented to upgrade and enhance security. It includes
Security Awareness Training
Such training and workshops can help your employees know the dos’ and don’ts and identify a threat when they see one. Most of all, it would alert their senses to recognize when something’s off, including strange emails with attachments or other types of phishing scams. Training employees about ransomware, phishing, security, data storage, etc., play a huge role in improving security and safeguarding against cybersecurity threats.
You would be amazed by how far a little security awareness training can go. A Heating and Air Conditioning Company in Fairfax City, VA near Daniels Run Park in 22031 zip code near Old Lee Highway completed a basic security awareness training and discovered that nearly forty percent of their staff had never heard of phishing and didn’t know that it was dangerous to click on links from unknown emails or download files from sites that aren’t reputable.
Password Manager
Many employees often use common, unsecured, weak, or personal passwords for work accounts, making the business systems vulnerable to threats. Moreover, many employees keep very simple and easy-to-remember passwords, which are then shared with other colleagues. Using Password Manager is essential to stop such recklessness and safeguard passwords from leaks or forgetting.
Risk Projection & Discussions
Even if some threats may seem far-fetched, it is essential that small businesses discuss these risks and threats in advance to create a plan. What if the building caught on fire? What if the hard drive crashes irreversibly? What if ransomware hits the system and the compensation asked is $50,000? Having such discussions periodically helps in risk assessment and creating a plan to take preventive measures before it’s too late.
Cyber security needs to be taken seriously by small businesses as the financial cushion to fall back on is limited. Complacency in cyber security would be noticed by attackers online, who would not miss an opportunity to steal data or ask for ransom or cause any other form of damage. It is essential to take preventive measures beforehand to upgrade cyber security, train employees, and be mindful of cyber security threats and corresponding solutions.
What Do You Do If Your Computer Or Phone Is Hacked?
If you experience any of the above signs that your small business has been hacked then you need to react quickly to mitigate the issue. Do not panic, but act quickly and contact your IT Team for assistance. If your business does not have a dedicated IT Team then reach out to an IT Cyber Security professional as soon as possible.
Cyber security professionals have the proper cyber security training and experience to help your business recover from an intrusion.
The bottom line is cyber thieves and criminals are a threat to your small business. Whether it is the real world or the virtual world, criminals will gravitate to those who do not have the right defenses. The best way to protect your business from hacking is to seek professional help. If you have any questions about finding a cyber security or managed IT services team to work with your small business, feel free to give Chesapeake Data Solutions a call to help you determine what solutions are the best for your business's individual needs.
