Capstone Works Blog

AI has been the buzzword of the year when it comes to the technology world, and for good reason. While what we know of as “AI” isn’t necessarily new, and it isn’t even technically artificial intelligence, it’s definitely becoming a groundbreaking new industry that is changing the way a lot of businesses and individuals do things. That being said, like all technologies, it can and will be used for nefarious purposes.

Cybersecurity can be a challenging animal for any business—particularly a small business. That makes it important that you understand a few key terms. Let’s go over these terms as a review—or as an introduction, if that’s the case.

January 28 is Data Privacy Day, and the New Year is the right time for implementing resolutions and fresh starts. Have you resolved to be more vigilant in 2018? Your small business cannot afford to overlook the dangers posed by hackers who are getting more sophisticated every year. But how do you know if you’ve been hacked?

Here are five tell-tale giveaways that your device has been compromised.

1. Spam emails are being sent from your company computers and email accounts.

Spam emails look legitimate because they are coming from your trusted email address.  Many of your customers may open them, annoying your subscribers and possibly leaving them open to security threats of their own. Monitor your sent folder as much as you monitor your inbox to be sure all outgoing communications are actually from you.

2. Slow internet connection.

When hackers gain access to your network they begin using your bandwidth for themselves.

3. Unauthorized programs have been installed on your network.

If you notice an unfamiliar program that was not authorized, documented, or installed by anyone within your organization, don’t brush this off as something an employee must have done. While there may be an innocent explanation, this can also be a sign that a hacker has invaded your network. If you don’t recognize a program, you should not click on it without checking with Capstone Works first. You will never regret caution.

4. Unfamiliar programs are requesting access to your network, or your Firewalls or other security programs have been uninstalled.

If your security systems are dismantled or missing, unfettered access to your systems may be allowed to wreak havoc in your network.

5. Visitors to your home page are redirected to another site or antivirus solutions are flagging your site.

An internet search for your site results in error messages that warn the searcher that malware has been detected on your site.  This warning means that hackers have certainly uploaded some sort of malicious software to your system. 

What can you do if you have noticed these signs? Contact Capstone Works.  We are your cybersecurity experts and we will perform a full security audit on your entire system. We keep up with the latest strategies used by hackers to steal your data so you don’t have to. Don’t risk downtime, loss of data or taking a financial hit due to hackers. Contact Capstone Works today, or celebrate Data Privacy Day by resolving to give us a call on January 28!