Hacking can damage a lot of things including your reputation. Ask Hillary Clinton how the exposure of her emails by hackers affected her electioneering campaign.
Illustrative photo (Credit: Alarmy)
As far as you are always online, you are vulnerable to being hacked. So, oftentimes than not, it is never simple to decide if your computer has been hacked. This is because hackers have developed subtle ways to quietly access your network without you suspecting anything.
Below are five signs to look out for, according to Jumia Travel, if you notice any of the signs, alert your IT department immediately.
1. Unexpected slowdown
Normally, the speed of your internet is faster than Usain Bolt but suddenly it becomes very slow. It may be that someone is tampering with your router remotely. This is possible when hackers install a software that can slow down your networks. So, if you notice any of this you should take action.
2. You are unable to log in
You open your system and log in with ease. But in this case, it is taking forever for you to log in and nothing seems to be working like your password and username even if it is correct. This may be a clue that something is wrong. If this is the case, you should immediately change your password.
3. Unusual activity
Computers something can drive you insane due to because when you want to perform an important task that is when it starts acting up. If these unusual activities continue nonstop, there must be something wrong. It may be a technical fault or it may be hackers attempting to steal sensitive information.
4. Your Antivirus is deactivated
If your antivirus appears disabled, it is a good signal that something is amiss. This is because you didn’t deactivate it. You may probably have visited a website created by a hacker which can automatically disable the antivirus of any system. Your system will tell you if it is off. Pay attention to this and switch on or update your antivirus.
5. New Apps appear
There are thousands of apps out there including the ones developed by hackers. Note that hacking is now very sophisticated. So hackers are now creative. If an app you didn’t download appears on your system appears, don’t click it. The best you can do is to delete. If you do open it, you given hackers unlimited access to your system. Be careful.