WHAT CYBER ATTACKS LOOK LIKE: SIGNS EVERY BUSINESS SHOULD WATCH FOR

In today's digital landscape, cyber attacks aren't the dramatic, Hollywood-style events you might imagine. Instead, they often unfold quietly, stealthily weaving their way into your systems, designed to remain undetected until significant damage has been inflicted. This makes vigilance paramount. Recognising the subtle early warning signs can be the critical difference between a minor security incident and a catastrophic loss for your business.

At CommuniCloud, we understand the evolving threat landscape and the importance of proactive cybersecurity. That's why we've outlined five key areas where unusual activity could indicate a potential cyber attack. By educating your team and implementing robust monitoring practices, you can significantly strengthen your defences.

1. Suspicious Account Activity: The Insider Threat and Beyond Your employees are often the first line of defence. Encourage them to be vigilant for any unusual activity related to their accounts:

• Unfamiliar Logins: If an employee receives notifications of login attempts from geographical locations they don't recognize or from devices they don't own, this is a major red flag. It could indicate a compromised password being used by an attacker.

• Unexpected Authentication Prompts: Receiving password reset emails or multi-factor authentication (MFA) requests without initiating them is a strong indicator that someone else is trying to gain access to their account. Emphasize that they should never approve an MFA request they didn't trigger.

• Unauthorised Modifications: Keep an eye out for any unexplained changes to account settings, user permissions, or files. Attackers often escalate privileges or alter data to facilitate their malicious activities. Regularly audit user permissions and file integrity.

Actionable Advice: Implement strong password policies, enforce MFA on all critical accounts, and educate your employees on how to identify and report suspicious login activity immediately.

2. Phishing Attempts: The Art of Deception Phishing remains one of the most common and effective methods attackers use to gain access to systems and data. These deceptive emails are designed to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links. Be wary of:

• Generic Greetings: Legitimate communications from reputable organisations will almost always address you by name. A generic "Dear Customer" is a significant warning sign.

• Urgent and Threatening Language: Attackers often create a sense of urgency or fear to pressure you into immediate action (e.g., "Your account will be closed immediately if you don't click this link"). Take a moment to pause and think before acting on such emails.

• Suspicious Links and Attachments: Before clicking any link, hover your mouse over it (without clicking) to see the actual URL. Does it match the official website of the purported sender? Be extremely cautious of unexpected attachments, especially those with unusual file extensions.

• Typos and Grammatical Errors: While sophisticated phishing attacks are becoming more polished, many still contain noticeable typos and grammatical mistakes. Legitimate organisations typically have professional communication standards.

• Spoofed Email Addresses: Pay close attention to the sender's email address. Attackers often use addresses that are very similar to legitimate ones but with subtle variations (e.g., @vend0r.com instead of @vendor.com).

Actionable Advice: Train your employees to identify phishing emails. Consider implementing email filtering solutions that can detect and block suspicious messages. Encourage a culture of scepticism when dealing with unsolicited emails.

3. System Anomalies: When Your Technology Acts Strangely Unusual behaviour in your computer systems can be an early indicator of malware or other malicious activity:

• Slow Performance and Frequent Crashes: While occasional slowdowns can happen, a sudden and persistent decrease in computer speed or frequent, unexplained crashes could indicate malware consuming system resources.

• Unfamiliar Pop-ups and Programs: Be wary of unexpected pop-up windows or the sudden appearance of new programs that you or your IT team did not install.

• Increased Network Activity: If your internet connection seems unusually slow or your network traffic spikes unexpectedly, it could indicate unauthorised data transfer.

• Disabled Security Software: Malware often attempts to disable antivirus software and firewalls to avoid detection. If your security tools are inexplicably turned off, investigate immediately.

Actionable Advice: Implement robust endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions and regularly monitor system performance. Ensure all devices have up-to-date antivirus software.

4. Financial Irregularities: Following the Money Trail Cybercriminals are often motivated by financial gain. Keep a close eye on your financial transactions:

• Small, Unauthorised Transactions: Attackers may test stolen credit card details or bank account information with small transactions before attempting larger ones. Regularly review your financial statements for any unfamiliar charges, no matter how small.

• Suspicious Invoices and Payment Requests: Be extra vigilant when receiving invoices or payment requests, especially if they come from slightly altered email addresses of your known vendors. Always verify payment details through a separate communication channel (e.g., a phone call to a known contact).

• Unexpected Changes in Bank Account Details: If a vendor suddenly requests payment to a new bank account, confirm the change directly with them through a trusted method.

Actionable Advice: Implement strict financial controls, including multi-person approval for transactions and regular reconciliation of accounts. Educate your finance team on common financial fraud tactics.

5. Data Loss or Corruption: The Visible Signs of Damage While attackers often try to remain hidden, data loss or corruption is a clear and alarming sign of a potential cyber attack, such as ransomware:

• Missing Files: If files suddenly disappear or become inaccessible, it could indicate malicious deletion or encryption.

• Encrypted Files: Ransomware encrypts files, rendering them unusable and often demanding a ransom payment for their release. Look for files with unusual file extensions or ransom notes.

• Unexpected File Modifications: If files have been altered without your knowledge, it could indicate unauthorised access and data manipulation.

Actionable Advice: Implement a comprehensive data backup and recovery plan. Regularly test your backups to ensure they are working correctly. Educate employees on the risks of opening suspicious attachments or clicking unknown links.

Proactive Protection is Your Best Defence
As the threat landscape continues to evolve, relying solely on reactive measures is no longer sufficient. Implementing proactive security measures and fostering a security-aware culture within your organisation is crucial.

By staying vigilant and understanding these subtle signs, your business can significantly reduce its risk of falling victim to a cyber attack. Share this information with your team and make cyber security a priority for everyone.