31 Aug How do you know if your company is being hacked?
Any Company Is A Target For Getting Hacked And Steal Their Sensitive Data
It can be like a bad dream. A cyber breach that holds your company’s (and client’s) sensitive data hostage.
This threat today is all too common and can come in many forms. Usually, a harmless looking email is to blame. In addition, Ransomware threats (as they are now called) can be very sneaky, damage could be going on for hours before you or your employees even notice. Recently, one such virus affected several medical centers. It looked undetectable until hackers called to say they would leak confidential information unless a ransom was paid. It is not just big companies that are targeted. According to Symantec’s 2016 Internet Security Threat Report, 43% percent of hack attacks in 2015 were against small businesses. So how do you know if your company is being hacked?
Talking about 2022, some data breaches that occurred were unexpected and were pretty much avoidable. When you have sensitive data, you need to apply some measures like
When you have sensitive data, you need to apply some measures like encryption, handling with care, and permission management of the people who are able to access the data. The data breaches at these companies were avoidable as they were not following those simple but necessary steps.
As a business owner or IT expert, you should always remember that a data breach is considered to be the quickest and most expensive way to motivate staff members to leave your company. Hence, it is important to use the path of least resistance for keeping your business’s data safe and secure. Here are some points to consider when looking for ways to prevent data breaches:
1. Employee Education and Awareness
Users of systems and data are the weakest link in cybersecurity measures and the most vulnerable to data breach threats. As a result, enrolling personnel in insufficient information security training programs can aid in the prevention of data breaches. Employee training programs are critical for educating users on best practices for information security. A comprehensive user training program should provide staff with the skills necessary to spot phishing emails as well as the security mistakes to avoid while utilizing sensitive customer or corporate information.
2. Endpoint Administration
Because technology has become an essential component of modern business interactions, it is critical for businesses to implement appropriate techniques to decrease the ensuing data breach dangers. Endpoint security is a vital necessity for preventing data breaches. Endpoints are any devices that employees may connect to a company’s network in order to view or communicate sensitive information. Endpoint management systems enable organizations to have network-wide visibility of all connected endpoints and govern who has access to which data. Furthermore, endpoint threat detection systems enable continuous monitoring of all data traffic flows and deliver real-time warnings when suspicious activity that might lead to a data breach is detected.
3. Advanced Data Backup and Encryption
Encryption prevents data breaches.
To deliver efficient services, almost every firm requires client data. As a result, data is now the primary engine of corporate operations and, as such, the holy grail for the majority of attackers. Companies must follow strict data backup and encryption methods in this instance to assure ongoing data availability and authorized access only.
Companies must guarantee that staff create real-time backups in a secure cloud for data backups. Physical material like as hard disks, for example, are not as secure since they may be stolen or lost. Organizations must also adopt adequate encryption systems for data at rest, data in use, and data in transit. Encryption adds another degree of protection by ensuring that only users with the necessary decryption keys may access the data.
4. Examine Third-Party Data Security Measures
Because of the nature of modern enterprises, an organization may be required to disclose sensitive information with third parties in the supply chain. As a result, data may be utilized and kept in unsafe contexts, resulting in data breaches via a third party. As a result, security teams should conduct extensive risk and vulnerability assessments to ensure that third parties accessing sensitive information have attained a robust cybersecurity posture. More crucially, such assessments reveal to external parties desiring to engage in any economic activity an entity’s serious purpose regarding data protection.
5. Stringent Password Security Policies
Password security is a popular data protection method among businesses and individuals. Having stated that, company owners must implement strict password security rules. At the very least, the regulations should force users to generate complicated, difficult-to-guess passwords. Users should also generate unique passwords for each of their work accounts and devices. Using a password manager, employees may effortlessly log in to secured accounts without having to memorize complicated passwords. Setting up Two Factor authentication is another good choice.
6. Regular patch installation and system updates
At a minimum, a corporation must safeguard its data assets using antivirus software and other security measures. Data breach protection measures, on the other hand, are useless if a corporation fails to apply timely updates and security fixes. Keeping all computers and operating systems up to date defends against attacks that try to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities. Furthermore, keeping software up to date eliminates any weak points that a hacker can attack by mitigating existing vulnerabilities.
7. Limit Access to Sensitive Data
A corporation can employ a variety of access control mechanisms to limit who has access to vital information. However, the initial step is to categorize all organizational data based on sensitivity and value. To prevent unauthorized access to the most sensitive data, effective data protection procedures and access control systems must be implemented. Organizations can limit access to sensitive data by understanding what personal information they have in their IT environment, scaling down information by keeping only what the business requires, locking the information that the organization keeps, and developing a dependable plan to respond to security incidents.
You should take a look at this article: 3 Steps to Repair a Corrupted Portable Hard Disk
Here are a few signs that might indicate a cyber attack on your company. We will also let you know how you can prevent it.
Notices of Failed Login Attempts
Any notices of failed login attempts should be taken seriously. For example, a form of malware that originated in Eastern Europe attacks POS systems to steal credit card information. One of the signs of this malware is a surge in failed login attempts. SOURCE.
Your Webcam light flickered on briefly
It has been associated more with hackers attacking victims at home through their webcams but the same can be done at work. Hackers can listen to private meetings and gain sensitive information. If you notice this, shut down your computer and call your IT company.
Surges in Outbound DNS Traffic
Many companies limit the amount of DNS traffic to ensure employees aren’t surfing the web needlessly. Any large surge in outbound DNS traffic is usually a sign that botnets are at work. SOURCE.
System Activity Logs Don’t Match Up
An activity that happens in the middle of the night or during non-working hours is cause for concern. If all employees have been verified as not being the cause, then it is time to call an IT company.
Unusual Email Attachments
This is a classic one. An easy way into your system as most employees trust information coming from work colleagues or from the boss. If you or your employees suspect there was a virus in an email, get help right away. This is something very common, especially in educational centers.
Unauthorized Downloads
If you don’t remember downloading an application or one suddenly appears that you don’t recognize on any company computer, this should be resolved as soon as possible as it is usually a sign of a hacking.
Applications or Files Don’t Work Suddenly
If there is a standard application that keeps shutting down or won’t start your IT support company should be notified as it could be compromised.
So now that you can see the signs, what can you do next?
What To Do If You Think You Have Been Hacked
- Change Your Passwords
If you think you may have been hacked immediately change the passwords. This could help prevent further damage from happening and stop them from accessing your information.
- Call Your IT Company
The most important thing you can do once you suspect a breach is to contact an IT company. They will get to work immediately, preventing further damage and saving valuable data. In addition, they will help you setup better systems to prevent future attacks.
- Notify Employees
Employees should be made aware and you should follow-up with a training on how to prevent malware from breaching the system.
- Notifying Clients
If there has indeed been a breach in your system your clients should be made aware or you risk losing their trust and business. Yahoo learned this the hard way by not letting their customers know that their personal information had been stolen for 2 years.
The best form of cyber security protection is a reliable IT company. IT companies will monitor your systems for you and ensure your data is safely encrypted. SOS Support offers 24/7 assistance and sophisticated firewall protection to keep your business safe. Contact us today for a free consultation.
