7 Signs Your Business Network Has an Unwelcome Guest

If you’re counting on a big, dramatic hacking attack being the method of choice for any cybercriminal with you in their sights, I have some bad news.

In reality, cybercrime is sneaky. A threat quietly infiltrates your network, lying in wait and biding its time, gradually collecting data until the perfect moment arrives. On average, a hacker spends 180 days in this reconnaissance mode. You need to know the warning signs that something isn’t quite right.

Seven Warning Signs of a Hidden Cyberthreat

Your Infrastructure is Working Harder than It Should Be

Do your workstations sound like fighter jets taking off every time a webpage loads? Are your server’s fans working hard enough to lift it off the ground? There’s a chance your hardware has been co-opted as part of a cryptocurrency mining scheme or to power additional attacks on other businesses.

You Have Unaccounted-For Admin Accounts

Each system administrator for your business’ system should have exactly one admin account. If you suddenly see more popping up—especially with generic names, like “sysadmin” or “IT_Support”—you could have a big problem on your hands.

Your Computers Have Minds of Their Own

It’s something out of a horror story: the cursor displayed on a device’s screen moves ever so slightly… even though nobody was touching the mouse. This should start the alarm bells in your head, but not because your business is being haunted. Instead, take it as a sign that an intruder may be testing remote access to your systems.

Your Emails are Already Read

If you open your email just to find a bunch of new messages that someone has already opened, you may have an unwanted visitor taking a peek. Some cybercriminals will investigate a user’s email to learn how they communicate, enabling them to draft more credible phishing messages.

Your Network is Suddenly Super Slow

A solid network connection is pretty much a non-negotiable for the modern business, so if your speeds suddenly tank, you’re likely to notice. A common cause of this sudden slowdown is an attacker stealing data, which will take up your valuable network resources in the process.

You Know You Didn’t Reset Your Password

On occasion, you or one of your team members might open an email to find a password reset link waiting for you… one that was never requested. These should not be ignored, as they can often be triggered by a perceived brute-force attack.

You Find New Software Installed on Your Workstation

Applications don’t just appear—somewhere along the line, someone has to install them. If neither you nor your IT team can explain where a new piece of software or a toolbar came from, it could be a sign of a lurking threat.

What If You Suspect a Threat is Present?

Let’s say a few of these warning signs sound a bit familiar. There are three steps that you should immediately take:

1. Disconnect the offending device from the network, but DO NOT turn it off. This prevents evidence of an attack or hack from being destroyed as the temporary memory resets. Just turn off Wi-Fi connectivity or unplug the Ethernet cable.
   
   
2. Double-check your outgoing messages. You need to confirm whether or not your email was used to send phishing messages so you can alert any potential recipients.
   
   
3. Reach out to the professionals. A security breach of any size is a serious matter. Make sure you recruit the help of pros like us to diagnose and eliminate the threat.

As With Any Threat, It is Better to Be Prepared

Of course, you shouldn’t wait until you may have already been breached to take precautions. Our services help minimize the threat by spotting the warning signs, allowing us to address them faster and more effectively on your behalf.

Don’t let these warning signs go unaddressed. Reach out to us at (336) 900-0030 for our help.