Choosing Financial Freedom

Choosing Financial Freedom

Internal Cybercrime Threatening Your Small Company? How Digital Forensics Can Help You

Aubree Mccoy

If someone inside your company steals vital information or threatens to damage your reputation on the Internet, take steps to keep your company safe from internal cybercrime. Internal cybercrime is a growing concern for U.S. companies today, particularly small businesses. Digital forensics can help you protect your business by locating problems committed electronically. Here's more information about internal cybercrime and what you can do to find the person or people behind it.

Is Your Company At Risk For Cybercrime?

Today, many companies rely on some type of computer system to conduct business, such as taking orders for products or scheduling the deliveries of goods. But if your computer system lacks sufficient security measures and protocols because you don't think you need them, it may not be completely safe or foolproof from cyber thieves. Cybercrime, also known as computer crime or cybertheft, can occur from anywhere as long as the Internet is involved, including from within your own company. 

Although it doesn't apply to every employee, some employees who become disgruntled about their pay or duties may try to steal funds from their employers. Employees fired for poor performance or some other reason may commit cybercrime in order to get back at their bosses. The theft may occur at any time, including after and during work hours. 

If all or most of your employees have approved access to your computer system, you may not even know the extent of theft until it's too late. In addition, tracking down the culprit might be difficult, especially if you don't keep detailed records of who enters and leaves your system on a daily basis. In this case, you'll need advanced help like digital forensics to stop the theft in your company. 

How Can You Use Digital Forensics to Protect Your Business?

Digital forensics is unique in many ways, including how it works. This type of forensics is operated by experts who look for things hidden deep within computer systems and other electronic devices, including deleted or lost files. Knowing how an internal attacker operates and steals your data or infiltrate your computer system is critical to stopping them. 

Digital forensic experts are able to find signs of hacking, such as repeated attempts to log into your other employees' human resource accounts or into the accounts connected to your financial records. Digital forensic experts can look for the smallest signs of hacking and unauthorized activity within your computer's infrastructure. This may include examining the activities of your employees to see how long they log into their accounts and when and where they log into their accounts. If an employee's activities stand out during the investigation, experts can inform you about it so that you can take the appropriate steps to stop them. 

Digital investigations may also give you a chance to locate and destroy harmful malware on all of your electronic and computer devices. Hackers can send cyberbots that contain viruses, spyware, malware, and even special commands to track down and invade your computer files. If your malware detection programs aren't updated or strong enough to locate and confine the threats, the thief can steal your data undetected.

Some malware mimic the functions and actions of real users by following their regular work schedules, including when employees go to lunch or clock out for the day. Other malware can mimic or look very similar to bulletins, memos and other emailed documents. The cyberthief may use this type of malware to steal information from your business and private email accounts.

If you use electronic devices like cell phones to access social media sites to carry out business, the thief may attempt to infiltrate them with malware that endangers the safety of your business transactions and communications. For example, the disgruntled or angry employee may want to sabotage your company's reputation by tapping into your social media accounts and creating false posts. The posts may include private information you don't want other people to know about. Digital forensics can help you avoid embarrassing issues before they come to light.

If you want to learn more about internal cybertheft, contact a company like Epps Forensic Consulting PLLC for more information today.


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About Me
Choosing Financial Freedom

One day I realized that I might have a shopping addiction. Every single thing that came across my computer screen or that I saw in stores I felt like I just had to have. It was an overwhelming, ever-present need, and it was really difficult for me. I didn't know what to do about it, so I decided to work with a counselor to overcome my obsession. She referred me to a financial counselor, and it really helped. Within a few months, I was able to see my problem and stop purchasing things that I didn't need. This blog is all about choosing financial freedom.

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