Most businesses never know their data security has been compromised until it is too late and the hackers have been in your systems for a while, gathering information, accessing and copying your confidential data. However there are a few tell-tale signs that may indicate that a breach has occurred or is in progress. Here’s eight things to look out for:

Your contacts or customers suddenly start to receive spam emails from your account.

Have you received complaints about an excessive amount of email traffic coming from your account? This may have happened because the hacker has accessed your email account and is sending spam or phishing accounts. Hackers use this method as they think that users are less likely to report spam emails if they come from a trusted source.

What should I do if this happens to me? Immediately change your password and set up Two-Factor Authentication.

Your computer or network is running slower than usual.

If you notice that your computer is very slow, it may be that a hacker is using your network system to move files around undetected.

What should I do next?  Check your task manager or network for anything suspicious. Run or download your security software to check for malware or viruses.

Your internet connection seems unusually slow.

If you notice unusual internet speed, it may be a sign that your network has been hacked. Hackers often steal bandwidth to carry out their attacks, therefore a reduction your connection speed may indicate a data breach.

What can I do to check this? Run an internet speed check, just to make sure its not an innocent broadband issue.

Your files have been mysteriously encrypted.

If you notice that some of your file have become encrypted without your knowledge, this could be a sign that your computer has been hacked. If the hacker demands money in exchange for decrypting the files, this is known as a ransomware attack. If you have received a message like this, please contact us immediately for assistance.

How can I prevent this? Ensure that you have had your security reviewed by a professional , and a Best of Breed Endpoint Security Protection Solution installed on all of your machines. Additionally make sure that you have back up and recovery processes in place. This should also include  testing data restoration protocols.

Your passwords have stopped working.

If your passwords have stopped working, it may be a sign  that someone has hacked into your system and stolen your login credentials.

What should I do next? Change your password immediately. Consider Two-factor-authentication (2FA) and password management tools. This software also warns you should any of your security information become compromised.

Programmes have been installed that you have not authorised.

If there are programmes installed on your computers on your network, there is a risk that these programme may have been loaded by a hacker.

What can I do next? As general good housekeeping, go through your computers to check installed software and toolbars. If you do not recognise them uninstall them.

Your website has excessive login attempts.

If there are excessive login attempts or attempts to connect with your domain account, where password retries have been logged may indicate that your website is a risk to being hacked.

What should I do? Consider multi-factor-authentication which  can help mitigate any risk from login attempts.  Additionally, consider using external penetration testing and other security measures like App Scanner integration or command centre monitoring tools.

You hear about a breach of a service you use.

You may use a service that has been hacked. Information obtained by hackers is often sold on the Dark Web. This can lead to other hackers using email accounts or passwords to get on to your system.

What can I do to see if my details have been leaked? There are websites which allow you to enter your email addresses to determine whether they have been compromised. Please contact us for details

Being aware of these signs is great, but minimising your risks is a better tactic than dealing with potential financial and reputational repercussions down the line.

Our friendly, knowledgably team can help you to assess your cyber security needs. Whether you require in person data protection training or would just like a chat about managing your data protection please contact us here