Even the very best, most protected system in the world could still fall victim to malware through bad luck, human error, zero day exploits, or a whole host of other factors but early detection can still save the day.

With modern business relying so heavily on IT infrastructure for its day-to-day operation and the sheer volume of malware in-the-wild, it’s highly likely at some point that your business will suffer an infection or breach.

Antivirus, Internet security, encryption, two-factor authentication and other IT security products, like those from ESET, can greatly reduce this chance but there is no silver bullet when it comes to protecting yourself and your business.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, there is a lot you can do to mitigate a breach or infection after the fact or even catch it before it has managed to do any damage at all.

As Mark James, IT Security Specialist at ESET UK, puts it “when malware is successful its main priority is to avoid detection.

“Ideally malware wants to enter, complete its task and then leave without anyone noticing. With the attention that a high level compromise brings it also stands to remind people that anyone can be the victim of a data breach and we all have to be vigilant if we want to be safe.

“For the average business detecting a breach relies on footprints or remnants on the system of the malware after it’s done what it needs to do.”

Spotting malware on your system could be as simply as identifying a program, file, process, or service that wasn’t there before. However Mark explains that both time and money are also required.

“Keeping up to date with common attack methods is an absolute must these days. Investing money in good expert personnel, good solid policies and a clear line of command for reporting any type of suspicious activity will help.

“Ensuring your internet security, operating systems and applications are all on the latest versions and updating regularly will assist in fighting cyber-crime. User training and network monitoring all make up the multi-layered approach that’s needed in this modern day cyber war.”

That “multi-layered approach” really is the key tenant of modern IT security. Get all the layers you can, with the personnel to use them, with appropriate user education and you’ve got the best chance of avoiding or mitigating a potential attack.

If we can help with any security or support questions please let us know.