8 Signs of A Malware Infection

Cybersecurity should be a massive concern for any business in today’s world. Technology is becoming more and more integrated with standard operations as businesses. Think about it: When was the last time you didn’t use the Internet in your day-to-day tasks? When was the last time you didn’t use some sort of technology to fulfill your duties? Would you notice if your computer was showing signs of a malware infection? If the answers to those questions have you scratching your head, chances are you need more effective, robust cybersecurity solutions and technologies in place. Hackers become more and more sophisticated every day, so you need to be equally as proactive in your data protection defense. Here are some tips regarding signs of a malware infection.

Is Cybersecurity Really That Important?

Cybersecurity isn’t just important—good protection is essential. You wouldn’t leave the doors to your business’s offices or warehouses open at night. If you did, you know it’s highly likely that something would get stolen. So, why would you treat your online and technological presence any differently? When you leave your data unprotected, you are essentially leaving all of your virtual doors unlocked for someone to creep in to take from, alter, or destroy your business’s personal information. Good cybersecurity will lock your data up and, hopefully, prevent anything bad from making its way in. Cybersecurity is an important element of all successful businesses. There are a variety of qualified, experienced IT providers at your disposal that can help protect your data.. It’s a massive industry that isn’t the stuff of fiction – it’s real, it’s important and, lucky for your business, it’s here to stay. You need to brace yourself and your business with online security against any potential cyberattacks. The future of your business depends on it.

What Are The Signs You Already Have A Malware Problem?

There are lots of different cybersecurity threats today, so many that it is incredibly difficult to keep them out of your system entirely if you don’t have incredible data protection services already in place. it is imperative to be aware of the signs and indications that you may already have a problem.  Malware is one of the biggest cybersecurity issues. Malware is a form of software that has been created for the purpose of damaging a computer. Do you have malware on your company’s computers? Here are some indicators that you do:

1. Your computer is slowing down/takes longer to start. This is one of the biggest signs that you have malware in your system.
2. Your computer freezes and crashes more frequently than it used to.
3. Unexpected, suspicious pop-up ads occur frequently.
4. Your homepage has changed and you didn’t do it.
5. Your antivirus software notifies you that “protection is disabled” or something similar.
6. There are new, unfamiliar icons on your desktop.
7. Programs opening and closing automatically. Does your computer seem to have a mind of its own as of late?
8. Lack of storage space. Something must be taking up your storage space. Could it be malware? 

If you notice any of the indicators that have been mentioned above, it is important to contact an IT professional as soon as possible. They will be able to run comprehensive checks on your computer to determine whether or not it has been infected with malware. There is no time to waste when it comes to malware because your critical business data is at risk, and it could cause a disaster for your company. 

How Do You Protect Against Malware?

Effective cyber defense isn’t something you can readily buy in a ‘catch-all’ package. The days of a simple antivirus software being enough to care for your business’s data are long gone. As are the traditional approaches of focusing the majority of your resources on protecting your crucial system components or only protecting against the biggest known threats.  The approach of hackers has changed; they now have a sophisticated set of tools at their disposal that was once thought impossible, even in the tech world. Before you develop a system to defend your business or organization, you need to perform such things as a vulnerability assessment and ‘pen testing’. Penetration testing is a crucial part of understanding where your organization’s vulnerabilities lie. Think of it as a dummy run cyber-attack that will help ensure that your systems and your staff are up to the task of defending against a real cyber-attack. This should go hand in hand with a vulnerability assessment. It isn’t just about ticking some boxes; you need to fully understand what cyber risks your systems could be vulnerable towards. For help assessing and strengthening your network, contact Axiom today. Visit their YouTube channel to view training videos on how to deal with your computer if it is showing signs of a malware infection.