What Are the Signs You've Been Hacked and How to Avoid It?

The 2024 Cyber Security Breaches Survey by IPSOS shows that severe cyber attacks typically cost businesses around $8,200 on average, and for larger companies, this cost can rise to $47,800. However, most businesses can avoid significant financial losses by proactively recognizing key signs of hacking early. To ensure safety, businesses should adopt several cybersecurity measures: using strong passwords, updating systems, enabling two-factor authentication, educating employees, and backing up data regularly.

In the past five years, cyberattacks have cost British businesses approximately $55 billion in lost revenue, with 52% of private sector companies experiencing at least one attack during that period.

A cyberattack on DP World in November 2023 paralyzed imports and exports in Australia for several days, leading to a 30,000-container backlog and significant economic disruption.

In 2024, the U.S. division of Stoli Group filed for bankruptcy, citing a cyberattack that paralyzed operations and led to significant reputational harm, highlighting the severe impact of cybersecurity failures on brand image.

Staying vigilant and proactive in cybersecurity practices is essential to mitigate these risks and protect both personal and organizational assets.

This blog post will delve into the key signs of being hacked and outline essential steps to avoid it, helping businesses defend against cyber threats and minimize the impact of cyber attacks.

How do I know if I've been hacked

Knowing whether you've been hacked is important for any business to protect its assets and maintain trust among employees and clients. Here are some clear signs to watch for that can indicate your business may be under attack:

1. Unexpected Software or Tools: If the software you didn't install appears or unfamiliar tools run on your systems, it could indicate unauthorized access.
2. Strange Account Behavior: Watch for unusual signs like unexpected password resets, emails sent that weren't authored by the sender, or unknown user accounts appearing.
3. Slow Systems: If your network or computer suddenly starts running very slow, it could be a sign that hackers are using your systems for malicious activities.
4. Ransomware Notices: Receiving messages that your data has been locked and a ransom is demanded is a clear sign of a ransomware attack.
5. Unusual Financial Activity: Seeing unauthorized transactions or errors in your financial records could mean your financial data has been compromised.
6. Data Loss or Leak Alerts: Notifications from security tools that sensitive data has been accessed or leaked without permission are strong indicators of a data breach.

Keeping an eye out for these signs can help you identify when your business might be under attack, allowing you to quickly take action and protect your systems.

What happens when you've been hacked?

When you've been hacked, the experience can be quite stressful on both personal and organizational levels. Here's a breakdown of what typically happens:

1. Data Access and Theft: Hackers might access and steal sensitive information such as your personal identity details, financial records, or company's confidential data. Personally, discovering unauthorized transactions in your bank account or unfamiliar charges on your credit card can be immediate signs of data theft.
2. System Compromise: On a personal level, you might find your computer or smartphone behaving strangely—slower performance, unexpected apps installing, or frequent crashes. This suggests that malicious software might have been installed during the hack.
3. Operational Disruption: If it's a workplace breach, work might stop completely. This could mean being unable to access your work systems, leading to a direct impact on your productivity and professional responsibilities.
4. Financial Loss: There can be direct financial costs, such as stolen money, or indirect costs, like hiring professionals to recover lost data or strengthen security post-breach.
5. Reputation Damage: Personally and professionally, a hack can damage your reputation. If personal data leaked includes embarrassing or sensitive information, it can affect your social standing; professionally, it might lead customers or partners to lose trust in your business.
6. Legal and Compliance Issues: If sensitive information is leaked, especially involving other people's data, you might face legal challenges. You'll need to follow laws about informing those affected by the breach, and you could be fined. This can make an already stressful situation even harder.

After a hack, it's significant to act quickly to minimize damage and restore security. This involves changing passwords, informing those affected, and enhancing security measures to prevent future incidents.

What to Do If You’ve Been Hacked

If you discover you've been hacked, acting quickly and methodically is important to mitigate damage and secure your systems. Here are the steps you should take:

1. Change Your Passwords: Immediately update the passwords for all affected accounts and ensure they are strong and unique. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
2. Update Your Software: Ensure that all your software, especially security software, is up-to-date. Hackers often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software.
3. Notify Affected Parties: If customer or employee data has been compromised, notify them as soon as possible so they can take protective measures. This may also be a legal requirement, depending on your location and the nature of the data breach.
4. Secure Your Network: Check your network for any unauthorized access or odd behavior and secure it. Disconnect from the Internet if necessary to prevent further damage.
5. Contact Authorities: Report the breach to the appropriate authorities quickly. This may include your local police, data protection agencies, and any other institutions that oversee your industry.
6. Monitor Your Accounts: After securing your systems, closely monitor your financial accounts and credit reports to catch any suspicious activity early.
7. Consult Cybersecurity Professionals: Consider hiring cybersecurity professionals to analyze how the breach occurred and to put stronger cybersecurity measures in place.
8. Create a Response Plan: Develop a plan to prevent future incidents. This should include regular reviews of your security policies and employee training.

By following these steps, you can help minimize the impact of a hack and strengthen your defenses against future cyber threats.

How to Prevent Hacking

In 2024, hacking poses a serious risk to individuals and organizations, making robust cybersecurity measures essential. To effectively prevent unauthorized access and safeguard sensitive information, it's important to implement a multi-layered security strategy. This involves both technological solutions and proactive behavior to strengthen defenses against potential cyber threats.

Here are some foundational steps that can significantly enhance your security posture and protect your systems from malicious activities.

Emphasize Security of Emails and Passwords

Securing emails and passwords is essential in preventing hacking. To enhance your security, consider the following best practices:

• Creating Strong Passwords: It's significant to create passwords that are strong and unique. Regularly update them and use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols to enhance complexity.
• Enhancing Email Security: Activate MFA wherever available. It adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access.
• Phishing Awareness: Always stay alert to emails that may look like they're from reliable sources but are actually phishing attempts to trick you into giving away personal information.

Implementing these strategies will help protect sensitive information and ensure the security of your digital communications.

Regularly Verify Password Integrity

To ensure the security of your accounts, it's important to regularly check the strength of your passwords. Make sure they haven't been compromised and are complex enough to resist hacking attempts. Update passwords that are weak or have been used for an extended period, and consider using a password manager to generate and store robust passwords securely. This routine check helps maintain the overall security of your digital identity.

Consistently Update Digital Tools

To keep your digital environment secure, it's significant to consistently update all your digital tools.

Regular updates ensure that software, apps, and operating systems have the latest security patches, reducing vulnerabilities that hackers could take advantage of.

Always activate automatic updates when available, and check manually for updates in systems where this isn't possible. This habit helps protect against the latest cyber threats and enhances the overall security of your devices.

Exercise Caution in Digital Interactions

When interacting digitally, it's important to exercise caution to protect against potential cyber threats. Here are some key practices to keep your information safe:

• Always verify the identity of individuals and organizations before sharing sensitive information.
• Be skeptical of unexpected requests for personal details or financial information, and carefully check the source of any attachments or links before opening them.
• Keep an eye out for phishing scams, which often use emails or messages designed to look like they are from trusted sources to trick you into providing sensitive data. These scams can closely copy the format and language of genuine communications from institutions like banks or government organizations.

Practicing these safety measures can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to scams or phishing attacks.

Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi for Confidential Tasks

To ensure the security of your sensitive data, it's important to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks for confidential tasks.

Public Wi-Fi is more vulnerable to security breaches because it often lacks strong encryption, making it easier for hackers to access and steal data. Instead, use a secured and private connection or use a virtual private network (VPN) when handling sensitive information.

A VPN encrypts your Internet data, making it difficult for others to see your online activities, which is significant for keeping your tasks and information secure, especially on less secure public networks. It also hides your location by changing your IP address, adding an extra layer of privacy and enabling you to access content that might be restricted in your actual location. This makes a VPN an invaluable tool for performing confidential tasks securely.

Control Your Social Media Footprint

Controlling your social media footprint is important for maintaining privacy and security online. To manage your digital presence effectively:

1. Review Privacy Settings: Regularly check and adjust the privacy settings on all your social media accounts to control who can see your posts and personal information.
2. Be Mindful of Sharing: Think carefully about what you post online. Avoid sharing sensitive personal information that could be used for identity theft or to guess security questions.
3. Audit Your Accounts: Periodically review your social media accounts for old posts that might no longer reflect your current views or that could compromise your security.
4. Secure Your Accounts: Use strong, unique passwords for each of your social media accounts and enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security.

By taking these steps, you can help protect your personal information and reduce the risk of unwanted exposure or cyber threats.

Stay Alert to Impersonation Scams

To protect yourself from impersonation scams and hacking, consider implementing the following strategies:

• Verify Identities: Double-check the identity of anyone contacting you using verified phone numbers or email addresses that are known to be legitimate.
• Be Alert to Scams: Keep an eye out for common tricks such as fake emails that request your personal information.
• Use Extra Security Measures: Enhance your account security by enabling two-step verification and keeping your computer's security software up to date.
• Handle Unexpected Requests Cautiously: Exercise caution with unexpected requests for personal details or money.
• Limit Personal Information Online: Minimize the amount of personal information you share on the internet.
• Manage Your Passwords: Create strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts and consider using a password manager to keep them secure and organized.

These strategies can help strengthen your defenses against cyber threats and maintain your privacy online.

Allocate Resources to Intrusion Detection Systems

Allocating resources to Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) is significant for hacking prevention.

IDS monitors your network and systems for suspicious activities and potential threats such as malware infections, unauthorized access attempts, and security policy breaches.

By investing in advanced IDS, you can detect and respond to these malicious activities or attempts to access your systems, effectively preventing potential breaches.

Ensure your IDS are regularly updated and configured to match the specific security needs of your organization, maximizing their effectiveness in identifying and mitigating cyber threats before they can cause damage.

Protect Your Employees Against Hacking with Keepnet's Phishing Simulator

The 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report by Ventures reveals that people usually click on a malicious link within 21 seconds of opening a phishing email and enter their data only 28 seconds later. This means that it typically takes less than a minute for someone to fall for a phishing attack. This alarming speed highlights the critical need for businesses and individuals to be more cautious and proactive about cybersecurity to protect their sensitive information and prevent damaging hacks.

Businesses should consider using Keepnet's Phishing Simulator to enhance their organization's security against phishing attacks for the following reasons:

1. Realistic Training: Keepnet's simulator provides realistic phishing scenarios that help employees recognize and respond appropriately to phishing attempts, training them to be cautious.
2. Testing and Evaluation: The simulator can test employees' responses to phishing, giving the organization a clear picture of potential vulnerabilities and areas where more training is needed.
3. Awareness and Education: Regular use of the simulator raises awareness about the variety of phishing tactics and keeps cybersecurity at the forefront of employees' minds.
4. Risk Reduction: By educating employees on how to spot and avoid phishing attempts, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of successful attacks and the potential for data breaches.
5. Compliance and Security Posture Improvement: Using tools like phishing simulators can help organizations comply with various cybersecurity standards and regulations, improving their overall security posture.

Implementing such tools not only prepares employees to handle real threats but also strengthens the organization's defense mechanisms against cyber attacks.

Watch our Phishing Simulator video on YouTube to learn more about how the Keepnet Phishing Simulator can protect your business from phishing attacks and enhance your security awareness training.

Editor's Note: This blog was updated on December 6, 2024.