11 signs of a cyber-attack – and a guide to fighting back

Find out if you’ve fallen victim to unscrupulous hackers with our guide to detecting a cyber-attack

Cyber security has never been more important. With the rising number of online threats, it’s no longer ‘if’ you’re going to find yourself on the receiving end of an attack, but ‘when’.

The alarming rise in cyber-attacks has hit every type of UK organisation, bringing companies to a standstill - and leaving vast IT bills in their wake.

Although many business owners believe their business will never be targeted, hackers are working hard every day to find vulnerabilities in businesses both big and small. And when they find a way in, through poorly guarded systems or susceptible staff, hackers will exploit those weaknesses to cause financial and reputational damage.

The consequences of a cyber attack

We don’t want to sound alarmist, but the reality is being hacked has the potential to destroy your business and with it everything you’ve worked hard for.

Sadly, ransomware attacks and data breaches are incredibly profitable for cyber criminals, meaning no company, big or small, is exempt from this type of malicious attack.

It’s simply a matter of when it’ll be your turn.

In 2019 cyber-attacks cost organisations more than £9 billion in damages - and that was just the tip of the cyber threat iceberg. Worldwide the cost of cybercrime exceeded $2 trillion, with over 1.7 billion user records leaked into the public domain.

Whilst you might think you have adequate cyber security defences in place, think of the shock 2017 ransomware attack that hit the NHS and cost the UK more than £92million. Or the more recent EasyJet cyber-attack which saw the credit card details and email addresses of more than 9 million customers stolen.

Fighting back against cyber threats

So, what does this mean for your business - and how can you protect yourself? Well, we think this is the perfect time to review your IT cyber security. Making changes to your security can be time consuming and costly in the short term, but you’ll be less vulnerable to a damaging attack that could wreak all sorts of havoc on your finances and reputation.

Strengthen your defences with endpoint protection, the latest software updates, and regular IT assessments. Then schedule routine cyber security training. Equipping your people with the skills to know when something feels ‘off’ can make the difference between a phishing email being reported to IT, and a destructive network breach.

Also don’t underestimate developing a good cyber security culture, where your employees know where the vulnerabilities are likely to be - from malware to phish scams, to the increased risk caused by remote working and ‘bring your own device'

How to recognise if you’ve been the victim of a cyber-attack

The next step in fighting back against cyber-crime is recognising the tell-tale signs of an attack, which is why we’ve created an IT cyber security guide to help you recognise the most common 11 signs.

From helping you recognise suspicious software to spotting unexpected financial transactions, our cyber security guide will help you detect – and deter – a potentially destructive threat.

Get in touch for more cyber security advice

If you aren’t sure about the security of your systems and want to find out more about dealing with a cyber-attack, then get in touch for an informal and friendly chat. We’re experts in IT security and we’ll provide you with the tools you need to stay protected from cyber-crime.