& What to Do
You might be surprised at what we see as a managed service provider. Cybercriminals get more advanced all the time. And because most of the time they don’t want you to know they are there, the signs aren’t as clear as a locked screen and seeing a ransomware message. If they don’t know they’re in your computer, they can steal your money, identity or intellectual property. However, there are some signs that your computer is compromised. Here are a few of the most common.
Your Machine Runs More Slowly Than Normal
There are a few reasons this may happen like age, too little RAM for the programs you’re running, and a corrupted hard drive. However, if your machine is fairly new and up to date and you don’t have any outstanding updates, it may be malware or remotely controlled software. These take a lot of power from your computer’s RAM which means everything runs more slowly than it normally does.
Banking or Other Fraud
When your accounts have been compromised, it either happened due to theft of your credit card or checks, unless it didn’t. When your computer is compromised with software that records keystrokes, cybercriminals can log into your accounts and do what they want to take your money.
Co-Workers or Friends Politely Ask You to Stop Spamming Them
Unless you’re one of those people, you likely aren’t sending tons of funny jokes or memes through email. If even one person alerts you to the fact that they got even one suspicious email from you, be sure to let your IT person know as soon as possible. If a co-worker happens to open that email, they’ll then be infected. The problem spreads incredibly quickly.
Unexpected Pop-Ups
Some applications have pop-ups when you login. You know to expect them and that it’s normal. However, if you start getting random pop-ups you don’t expect or normally see, it’s likely your computer is compromised.
New Programs You Didn’t Install
Admittedly from time to time software and apps change their logos. However, the name should be the same and the change shouldn’t be drastic. If it is or if you have any doubts as to its authenticity, do not open it. Reach out to your IT staff member.
If You Don’t Have an IT Staff Member, Call Toucan Technology Group
We are a managed service provider serving the greater Indianapolis area. We work on both retainer and an hourly basis. If believe your company has a problem and you don’t have an IT staff member or team, managed service provider or IT outsourcing company, call us to learn more about how we can help. Our team of IT professionals can not only attempt to fix the problem, but also offer solutions to prevent it in the future. Call us at (317) 376-4874 or fill out our contact form today.
