What to Do after a Data Breach

Hackers exploit weak access controls, technical vulnerabilities, and negligence to gain access to sensitive corporate data. That’s why having a proactive security approach for your business is critical. But what happens if data is stolen and compromised despite all your efforts? In this blog, we discuss what steps to take after a data breach.

1. Breathe

Panic often sets in after a breach. It’s important to keep your wits so you can address the situation with a clear head. You still have time to remediate the damage and minimize its impact to your business. As your organization’s leader, stay calm and collected so you can communicate with your team in a professional, confident manner.

2. Assess the Situation

Collecting your thoughts helps you clearly analyze the specifics of the breach, gather facts, and establish a timeline. Ask the following questions:

• What data has been compromised?
• When was the incident discovered?
• How was the breach detected?
• What steps have been taken since the breach?

Knowing what you’re dealing with allows your organization to zero in on an incident response plan.

3. Contain the Damage

After a data breach, it’s important to isolate your data and contain the damage as quickly as possible. Change the credentials of affected servers and applications. Be prepared to abandon infected networks or reroute network traffic. Access copies of backups so critical data can be restored to a new server or network.

4. Contact Affected Customers

Failing to notify affected customers and vendors of a breach can permanently damage your business reputation and may lead to non-compliance fines. Contact your attorney after the breach is discovered and file notices with state and federal authorities.

5. Conduct Audit

It’s important to bring in experts who can help you assess the situation and offer remediation strategies. The right data security partner will perform a post breach audit that allows you to restore business operations quickly and efficiently and prevent future security incidents.

6. Evaluate and Monitor Your Network

After you’ve contained the damage and plugged the holes in your system, schedule a network evaluation by a qualified data security partner. IT professionals with real-world experience identify problem areas, points of weakness, and risks, as well as monitor your organization’s systems to minimize the impact of a returning attacker.

No business is immune to data breaches. Make sure your organization can respond to security incidents quickly, efficiently, and effectively.

Reclamere provides data security services to businesses in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. For more information about how to handle a data breach or for any data security questions, please call us at 814-684-5505 or complete the form on this page.