A cyberattack can happen to any business, large or small. When you become a victim of this type of crime, the results can be devastating. To minimize the damage when a cyberattack occurs, you need to be ready to respond immediately. If your business is concerned about the possibility of a cyberattack, following the steps below will help you limit the impact and protect your company’s future.
Before an Attack
1. Create a response plan.
Before a cyberattack ever occurs, you need to have a detailed response plan in place. Making this plan in advance will ensure that you have all the resources you need to respond to the attack as well as you can. Your response plan should include clear instructions for every member of your team to follow when a cyberattack occurs. This plan should also prioritize your business’s most valuable assets.
2. Back up data off-site.
If possible, keep copies of all of your most important data off-site so it will be protected in the event of a cyberattack. When an attack occurs, you will be able to recover the data you need quickly.
After an Attack
1. Assess the damage and scope of the attack.
If your company has been victimized, the first thing you need to do is assess the extent of the attack and its impact. Document the specifics of the attack in case you need to present the information as evidence in the future.
2. Contact relevant parties.
Once you’re sure that your company has been the victim of a cyberattack and not a simple technical glitch, it’s time to begin the recovery process. Contact all parties who will need to be involved in the investigation and recovery, including law enforcement, your IT department and IT consultants.
3. Contain the attack.
Many cyberattacks involve malicious software that continues to spread if it isn’t contained. Instruct IT personnel to isolate the affected systems and/or part of the network to contain the attack as much as possible and prevent any additional damage.
4. Inform customers.
If the cyberattack will have any effect on your customers, they need to be informed. For example, if your system will be down while the attack is addressed, customers should be made aware of the potential inconvenience. If customers’ sensitive information was compromised in the attack, they must be made aware of this issue as well. In fact, all states now have laws that require you to inform customers of data breaches.
5. Begin the repair/recovery process.
Once you have dealt with the attack and stopped it from causing any further damage, you will need to begin the process of repairing and/or rebuilding. IT professionals can tell you more about what the specific process will entail and how long it will take.
Cyberattacks can bring your business to its knees in a matter of hours, so it’s important to have a solid response plan in place at all times. If you need help building out your plan, we can help. Contact us today to find out how Employer Flexible can help your organization.
