Oh no! You just got cyber-attacked, what do you do? This is the last thing you want to think about today. You just want to go about your day without any inconvenience. But a cyber attack is not something you can just ignore. If you have been keeping up with the news in the cyber world, you’d know that recent cyber attacks are a lot more damaging to any business suffering from it. Hackers have become more creative and aggressive. But don’t panic, you can still do something about it. Keep calm and do these steps to control the damage and prevent a cyber attack from ever happening again:
1.Investigate ASAP
As soon as possible, it is important to validate that a breach occurred. Then, determine how it occurred and what data was accessed. The minute you learn about the attack, make sure that customer data is being protected. As it will be required to comprehend the impact and scope of the breach, confirm it with vendors. You should also determine where the breach should be reported and determine whether your company will need to abide by any restrictions throughout this incident.
2.Keep records of everything
Keep a record of everything that occurred throughout the cyberattack. This includes the date it occurred, how it affected your company, the sort of attack, the information that was stolen, and any other relevant details. Having everything documented is usually preferable, but even so, you might want to hire an IT team to assist you in gathering facts and resolving the problem. Giving them as much information as you can in advance can aid in obtaining the greatest and most affordable solutions. If ever your employees were contacted or involved during the attack, they should also be documented.
3.Report to the right authorities
In an event of a cyber attack, you should think about reporting the attack as you won’t always know if you have abided into any law. You must notify the authorities of the occurrence if your business maintains client data, including credit card, contact, personal identification, or personal health information. Inform the police and any pertinent organisations, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, if applicable.
4.Disclose the cyber attack
If the information you store is health-related, you must file with the federal government. Each state has different standards, and you might be required to disclose information to numerous states depending on what you store, where you keep it, and whether it is multi-state. This link provides more details, and this link will lead you to each state’s specific requirements for all 50 states. To limit the damage on your company’s reputation, you should have your disclosure statement reviewed by a solicitor and, depending on the size of your company and the breach, you might want to consult with a public relations firm before releasing it. Make sure to clearly communicate to your customers what the business plans to do with the current issue. That will be the most effective strategy for you to minimize the harm and keep customers. It is never a good idea to let a third party, like the media, inform those who are impacted.
Just because it already happened, doesn’t mean it would not happen again. It’s important to be prepared always. Here’s what you should do to prevent a future attack:
1.Create a cybersecurity plan
The best method to quickly resume operations and move forward following a devastating attack is to have a thorough business resilience plan (BRP) and disaster recovery strategy. You have processes in place for everything else, so you should certainly have strategies for cyberattacks as well. You should also update your company’s protocols. The “digital hygiene” of your business can be greatly improved by taking simple measures like requiring your employees to use new passwords every three to six months. Make sure your WiFi is safe, business emails are sent over a protected network, and you frequently scan for viruses.
2.Improve your cybersecurity or partner with an IT company
Your investigation is likely to have revealed that there is still a great deal you can do to enhance your cyber hygiene. You can always hire a reputable cybersecurity team to help you get your company protected from any cyber attack. The right cyber security team can strengthen your company’s cybersecurity from every point, placing you in a much better position to fend off attacks in the future and minimize harm in the event that one does take place. Although there is no such thing as 100% cyber security, you should strive to reduce your risk every day.
We know, it is very stressful to have your company victimized by hackers. You just want to grow your business and thrive against any circumstance. Following the steps on what to do after an attack and preventing future attacks is a great start for an improved cybersecurity for your company. If you want to talk about partnering with a reputable IT company to help you in times of cyber attacks or if you want to strengthen your cybersecurity, feel free to contact us today.
