The ever increasing number of internet users has provided cyber criminals an opportunity to exploit the vulnerabilities in the computer systems. As people constantly rely on the digital world for work, gaming, social networking, recreation and other such purposes, there has been a massive upsurge in the malware threats. It is important to detect the infection in order to protect your computer and prevent such attacks in future.  

Given below are some warning signs that may indicate that your computer is malware infected: 

• Slow Computer: If your computer has been infected by a malware, it may slow down the speed of the system, internet and programs. However, make sure you rule out other potential causes of a slow computer, such as resource-heavy applications, fragmented system, lack of hard disk space or RAM etc. 
• Unwanted Pop-Ups: Unexpected pop-up advertizements that appear on your computer system are one of the most annoying signs of a malware infection. In some cases, these pop-ups may appear even if you are not connected to the internet. When the user clicks on a pop-up, it may redirect him to a fake website or download more malware on the system. Make sure you do not click on any of these ads or answer any survey questions. 
• Unexpected System Crashes: A malware infected computer may crash unexpectedly and quite frequently as well as switch to the BSOD (blue screen of death). However, the problem may also appear due to a technical problem in the computer, such as the lack of latest drivers or incompatible programs running on the system. If this is not the case, you should immediately scan your computer to identify any malicious program or file. 
• Random Network Activity: Another sign of a malware infection is the constant blinking of the router, indicating a high level of network activity even when you are not running a heavy program or uploading/downloading any files. It may be possible that your system has been hacked and controlled by a remote administrator.
• Lack Of Storage Space: Several types of malware are designed to manipulate files on the infected computer and fill up the space available on the hard drive. If any of your files stored in your computer system have been deleted, modified or you find any unknown programs that you didn’t install, it indicates a malware infection. 
• Disabled Security Software: In order to avoid detection, many malware programs disable the security software installed on your computer. Hence, your computer does not have the necessary tools to identify and eliminate the malware. In some cases, you may also receive security warnings or threat alerts from antivirus programs that you never installed on the system. 

We, at Centex Technologies, provide internet security solutions in Dallas, TX. For more information, you can call at (972) 375 – 9654.

Cybersecurity is a key issue faced by the finance sector. Whether it is to steal account information, illegally transfer money or inject malware, various tactics are used by hackers to gain access to an organization’s internal network. It is critical that IT professionals are updated with the latest security concerns and formulate a comprehensive strategy to stay protected against different forms of cyber-attacks.

Given blow are some of the top IT security challenges for the finance sector:

• Extortion: Hacking attacks involving extortion may be initiated in the form of a ransomware or denial of service (DoS) attack. In this, the target computer may be flooded with traffic from multiple servers, with an aim to temporarily slow down or completely disrupt the company’s network. The hackers may demand ransom amount to restore the services and remove the malware from the victim’s computer system.
• Spear Phishing: This is a common email scam in which hackers send out emails claiming to be from legitimate sources to acquire the victim’s bank account or credit card details and internet banking passwords. In an advanced form of spear phishing, known as whaling, the hacker may even send spoofed executives’ emails to the finance officials in order to get money transferred to fake bank accounts.
• Data Breach: Vulnerabilities in computer systems are also a major target for the cybercriminals to attain financial information of the users. Lack of security standards, poor data storage practices and unsecure network configuration may put the customers’ sensitive details at risk. It is important to store credit/debit card numbers, verification codes, user ids and passwords in an encrypted format.
• Point-Of-Sale Malware: It is aimed at stealing information from a business’ payment processing software. The attack can either target retail checkout system or during online purchases. Once the hackers are able to access the information, they may sell the information further or use it to make unauthorized financial transactions.
• Social Media Attacks: Cybercriminals may also use social media websites to gather information from the employees at a financial institution. With the increasing use of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social platforms, employees can be easily duped to acquire confidential information about the company. They may create fake profiles to develop contact with the targeted employee and eventually compel him to reveal important information required to launch a bigger hacking attack. 

We, at Centex Technologies, provide complete cyber security solutions to all types of business firms in Dallas, TX. For more information, feel free to call us at (972) 375 – 9654.