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10 Signs Your Network Is Under a Cyber Attack and How You Can Reduce Them with Managed Cyber Security
by Madison Miner August 30, 2022
Like most organizations, you have many questions about cyber attacks.
- Co je kybernetický útok?
- How do I know when I’m being attacked?
- Am I even at the risk of a cyber attack?
The good news is that, with the proper training and tools, you can protect yourself from most (if not all) cyber attacks, and it’s easier than you might think. One of the best ways to protect your network from a cyber attack is to learn how to recognize the signs of an attack so you can stop it before it becomes a problem. Here are some examples:
Your computer runs slower than usual. If you notice your computer running slower than average or crashing more often, this could signify that someone has gained control of your machine and is using its processing power. The same goes for your internet connection—if it starts slowing down or behaving strangely, this may indicate that someone external has gained access to your network.
Your mouse begins moving without instruction. If your mouse starts moving on its own or clicking on things without input from you (or if letters start appearing in documents without any input from you), this could indicate that hackers have gained control of your computer and are accessing files and data.
It’s easy to think that your network is safe because no one is trying to hack you, but that’s the exact opposite of the truth. Hackers are always working to find weaknesses in networks, and if you don’t know what to look for, you could end up being their next target.
When your network is attacked, it can have devastating consequences for your company. Your customer data could be compromised, or you could lose sensitive internal documents. Without managed cyber security in place, your company’s reputation could be damaged, and the impact might be felt for years.
10 signs your network is under a cyber attack
When you’re running a business, your network is like the roof over your head—it’s what protects you. So when there’s a leak in that roof, it’s critical that you address it as soon as possible.
The problem is, many people don’t realize they have a cyber attack in progress until it’s too late to do anything about it and their data has already been compromised.
That’s why it’s important to know the signs. Here are ten things to look out for if you want to make sure your network is safe from cyber attack.
- You notice a significant drop in network performance.
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack attempts to make a network resource unavailable to its intended users. This is usually done by overwhelming the network with traffic or connections, preventing legitimate traffic. In some cases, this can cause a significant drop in network performance.
The volume of the attack is what causes the drop in performance. A DDoS attack can involve a considerable number of requests sent to a single server or connection attempts from many IP addresses. If the server has not been set up to handle such volume, it will not be able to respond quickly enough and provide users with what they need at that moment, which may cause them to become frustrated and give up waiting for the site to load.
The type of attack also impacts network performance. If the server has been set up to reject or ignore any requests that do not come from a specific IP address or IP address range, then it will reject legitimate visitors and any attacks made by visitors outside that range. This can prevent legitimate visitors from accessing the site while they wait for their connection request to go through, and their frustration may cause them to leave before they get what they need from the site.
- Your computer is running unbearably slowly.
A virus can cause your computer to run slowly for several reasons:
- It may be responding to your commands slowly because it is busy trying to replicate itself and infect other parts of your computer.
- It may be executing malicious programs that are heavy and resource-intensive, like mining cryptocurrency
- A virus may be inserting code into the operating system that causes components to perform slower than otherwise.
- Programs that you frequently use are now suddenly unusable.
When you get a virus, the virus may damage or delete files on your system. These files might be essential components of Windows or other programs that you use frequently. As a result, these programs may become unusable until the file is repaired or replaced.
- Your computer restarts itself on its own, or crashes and then restarts.
The most common way a cyber attack can cause a computer to restart is through «remote code execution» or «DLL injection.»
With remote code execution, the attacker sends a command to your computer that causes it to run malicious software (also referred to as malware) that can then access your system’s memory and potentially cause it to restart. The malware would have to be introduced through an exploit in your computer’s software or firmware.
With DLL injection, the attacker sends a command that allows them to introduce malicious code through an exploit that changes how your Windows operating system operates. In some cases, this can cause the operating system to restart.
There are also cyber attacks that can cause your computer to crash first and then restart. For example, if malware is introduced through an exploit in one of your applications, it could begin immediately using all of your computer’s resources. That would cause the application (and possibly other applications) to stop working and crash.
- You receive error messages you have never seen before.
Well, this will be a bit of a surprise, but your computer isn’t sentient. It’s just a collection of wires, plastic, and metal that can only do what you tell it to do.
If you see an error message on your computer, something has gone wrong with either the hardware or software (or both). It could be that you’re trying to run a program that requires more RAM than you have available, or maybe your hard drive has crashed, and your data is no longer accessible.
The best way to deal with these messages is to reach out to a managed cyber security partner who can help you investigate the cause of the problem.
- The number of pop-up ads you encounter has increased exponentially.
This might be a sign of malware on your phone or device. Malware is a type of software that is installed onto your device without your knowledge and can cause problems like pop-up ads, among other issues.
- You begin to see strange files on your desktop or in your computer’s system files that you did not create or download yourself.
When files appear on your desktop or in your computer’s system folders, and you did not download them yourself, it could mean that your computer has been compromised by malware. The malware may have been downloaded by clicking a link, running an executable file (.exe), or opening an email attachment.
Malware can do many different things. It can remove files, encrypt files so that you cannot access them, or use your system to send spam emails. Malware may also slow the performance of your computer or cause it to crash.
- The font size of your web browser has changed without you having made any changes yourself.
If the font size of your browser has changed without you having made any changes yourself, it’s likely that either:
- You’ve been hacked.
- You’ve got a virus.
- Your default language setting has changed without your knowledge.
If your default language has changed without your knowledge, it may mean that you’ve been the victim of a malicious ad or pop-up. These ads are designed to encourage users to click on them, and they often include links that automatically change the settings on your device, especially if you’ve clicked «yes» to allow them.
- Your web browsers redirects you to sites that look unfamiliar or that you had not intended to visit.
This can be a sign of malware on your computer, and it should be addressed as soon as possible.
Partnering with a managed cyber security vendor can be the difference between a major cyber attack on your network and an easy recovery
Consider this: What if you could get a 24/7 support team for [insert price] a month instead of investing thousands of dollars into your team of IT professionals?
What if you could have an entire team at your disposal who are trained to prevent cyberattacks from happening in the first place?
Your current IT team may be great, but how much time do they spend fighting fires instead of preventing them? Every minute they spend doing that is another minute they don’t have to develop cybersecurity strategies that will help them in the long run.
With a managed cyber security partner, you don’t have to worry about paying for extra bandwidth or training for new employees. You get a team ready to go at all times—and make sure your network is prepared for whatever comes next.
Did you know that when it comes to cybersecurity, many companies are not prepared for the future?
SSI is an industry leader in network security. With our proactive approach, we help you avoid potential threats today and tomorrow by:
- Identifying gaps in your current security measures.
- Creating a cyber security plan that can grow with your company.
- Providing ongoing support and maintenance for your network defense.
Our proactive approach helps you prepare for and prevent cyber attacks before they happen. Cybersecurity. It’s not just about what happened yesterday. It’s about what might happen tomorrow — reach out to us to learn more about our Cybersecurity Solutions.
Cyber attacks can hit companies of any type and size. A study by the University of Maryland revealed that a computer is hacked every 39 seconds, for an average of 2,244 cyber attacks every single day. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cyber attack costs the victimized company $3.86 million.
Cyber attacks can be difficult to identify and even more difficult to stop. How do you know if your company is being attacked – and what can you do to stop it?
Anatomy of a Cyber Attack
While there is no such thing as a “typical” cyber attack, most attacks start with some sort of reconnaissance, where the attacker studies potential targets to determine who to attack, where, and how. Savvy attackers weed out targets that are too well defended or offer little in return for their efforts. They also learn how best to attack targeted systems, identifying an organization’s technological and human weaknesses to help form an attack strategy.
The cyber attacker will then find a way to infiltrate the target computer or computer network. In many instances they use social engineering, essentially tricking an employee into providing necessary credentials. In other instances, the attacker exploits a flaw in the network or software to enter the system.
Once a cyber attacker has penetrated the target system, the actual attack occurs. An attacker may install malware on the host system to perform some further action, such as encrypting data or taking control of the system. He may root around for valuable data to download or he may simply seek to destroy data or system files, rendering the host system unusable.
Since most cyber attackers do not want to be discovered until they’ve accomplished their goals, they go to great lengths to cover their digital tracks and remain anonymous. The most effective attacks are so sanitized that they’re not even discovered for months afterward.
3 Signs Your Company is Experiencing a Cyber Attack
Sometimes, a cyber attack is blatantly obvious, as when ransomware shuts down access to a group of computers or a DDoS attack drives a website offline. Other cyber attacks are less noticeable, especially those that install remote control software or steal confidential data. According to the IBM report, it takes an average of 200 days to identify the typical data breach – and another 73 days to stop the attack.
How, then, can you recognize when your company is being attacked? Here are three key signs.
1. Slowed Network Traffic
In many attacks, the most obvious sign is slower-than-usual network traffic. Since the cyber attack itself uses network resources, this will typically cause the entire network to slow down to some degree. Network administrators should be on the lookout for unexpected changes in network traffic and be prepared to investigate for other signs of attack.
2. Unusual Password Activity
Many breaches involve the attacker taking unauthorized control of users’ accounts to access the system. This manifests itself in users being locked out of their accounts and having to reset their passwords. If network administrators experience a large number of password reset requests, the system may have been breached.
3. A Large Number of Outgoing Emails
Cyber attackers will often use a breached system to send out a large number of phishing or spam emails, using the attacked company’s email domain and even specific email addresses. If the network or email administrators notice an unusual amount of outgoing email messages, it’s time to investigate further.
3 Steps to Take if Your Company is Being Attacked
What should you and your IT staff do when you identify a cyber attack in progress? The proper response is a three-step process.
1. Contain and Stop the Attack
When an attack is discovered, it needs to be shut down and the attacker blocked from further access. This may be as simple as barring access from the attacker’s specific domain or IP address. It may require resetting all of the network’s usernames and passwords. It can even involve disconnecting from the Internet, shutting down the entire system, and rebooting fresh – or, if the damage is extensive or the attacker has embedded himself fully into the network, rebuilding the system from a recent backup.
2. Posuďte škodu
Once the attack is contained, it’s time to determine the cause of the breach and assess the resulting damage. Your staff needs to evaluate how the attack was initiated and from where, and then work to prevent future intrusions of that kind. You need to identify what data was accessed or possibly altered, including which customer and employee records may have been exposed. Any damaged or missing data needs to be restored from the most recent backup.
3. Manage the Fallout
Finally, it’s important that everyone affected be promptly and properly notified of the breach. That means not only your employees but also any customers whose data has been compromised. Law enforcement should also be notified, as should your company’s insurance carrier (if you have cyber liability insurance – which you should). If it’s a large enough breach, working with your PR staff to notify the media is also important.
The bottom line is that a cyber attack can be stressful for all involved, but it’s manageable – if you prepare in advance and take the necessary steps after.
Reduce Your Risk of Cyber Attack with Secure Communications from AWS Wickr
One way to reduce your company’s risk of cyber attack is to use a secure platform for all internal and external communications. AWS Wickr offers companies voice and video calling and conferencing, file sharing, individual and group messaging, and more, all protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring the ultimate in secure collaboration.
AWS Wickr offers fully encrypted communications for your company – stáhněte si ji dnes!
