What Is A Computer Hack?

I am sure that you have heard about computers being in a compromised state – breaches everywhere – locally and internationally. Without a doubt it is scary. You have often asked yourself, ‘what is a computer hack’? Well, this contributed article should be able to ‘shed some light on your darkness’ by pointing out the signs that you should be aware of, just in case.

Discover The Clues You’re Facing A Computer Hack

When you’re running a small business, you do need to be aware that there’s always a risk of theft, particularly online. In fact, online theft has become far more prevalent in recent years to the point where it should be one of the business owners’ top concerns. As such, it’s important to know that a hack is taking place on your network. If you recognize the signs, you might just be able to stop it. Or at the very least, alert someone that it has happened.

So, what are the signs of a computer hack?

Files Are Now Locked

You might find that files that you used to be able to access are now locked. This is typical because files that can prevent an attack or delete a virus from your systems are the first to be hit in an attack. For instance, you’ll probably find that you can’t change the settings on your firewall. You may not even be the administrator of the computer you’re using anymore.

If you see any sign that you are not in control, there’s a good chance your computer network has been targeted. This won’t be as apparent as the mouse moving by itself on your screen. This type of hack is called remote control, and it is incredibly rare. However, for legal purposes, you can learn how to do it on https://support.microsoft.com/.

There is one thing that you shouldn’t do in this situation, and that’s to switch off the computer. People often assume that if the computer is switched off, a hack is halted. Often, this is not the case, unless the hacker is using a virus. However, if they are targeting network files, the hack can continue whether the computer is on or off.

Slow Down

Often, a hack will take a tremendous level of power and this, of course, takes its toll on your computer system. You’ll find that typical processes become significantly slower and a computer that has been hacked can take a longer time to load or even go online. Of course, a hack is only one problem that can cause a computer slow down. It might be as simple as the fact that you have pushed the hard drive capacity to its limit. Or, that you simply haven’t cleaned up the computer hard drive in a while. If the hard drive isn’t kept in good order, the files become spread out which can also lead to a slow down.

As such, the only way to know what’s causing the speed problem is to analyze the issues. That’s why you need an IT support team and you can learn more about this on sites like https://www.houkconsulting.com/. Services like this can constantly monitor your networks and ensure that if a hack does occur it can be stopped.

Customer Complaints

Finally, be aware that the first sign of a hack might be a customer complaint. They will experience fraud, and their bank will find the source of the issue which could be your company. It is important that you deal with a situation like this in the right way. You need to tackle it head on and make sure that you accept full responsibility.

We hope this helps you understand some of the signs of a hack on your computer network and that it enables you to deal with the issue effectively.

Images courtesy of Pixabay, MaxPixel, and WikiMedia.

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