Data breaches are a serious issue that can have devastating consequences for businesses and individuals alike. In recent years, there have been numerous examples of data breaches that have exposed sensitive information to the public. For instance, in 2021, 4,145 publicly disclosed breaches exposed more than 22 billion records, approximately 5% fewer than in 2020.
From large-scale hacks of corporate networks to the exposure of personal information on unsecured websites, data breaches can occur in many different forms. Even with this information in mind, many companies are not adequately prepared to combat these security breaches.
If you’re looking to boost the security of your organization, you must make sure to take actionable steps and involve the right personnel to fix the damage. In this blog post, we share the steps your company should take after a data breach so that you can control the situation, mitigate further damage, restore operations as quickly as possible, and protect your brand.
Consider Investing in an IAM Solution
One of the most common goals of enterprise security is to reduce the damage caused by attacks. An identity and access management platform (IAM) can help prevent attackers from ever gaining access.
IAM platforms allow organizations to manage and verify identities and assign access privileges to every user. Using IAM platforms, organizations can restrict access to data and applications to the right people, devices, and services at the right time. This will prevent cybercriminals from accessing data and systems.
It’s important to have a solid IAM solution, regardless of how big or small your business may be. Look for a reputable IAM provider like Ping Identity that can help you keep your data secure while providing a seamless and secure employee and customer experience.
Act Quickly
You must decide how to stop the breach once you have discovered it. It may be necessary to shut down WiFi, VPNs, and servers temporarily or isolate them by taking computers and servers off the network. As soon as the breach occurs, you have to act quickly to stop the spread of the attack.
Eliminating the threat should be your top priority. Most incident response plans focus on mitigating, investigating, and preventing a new attack. Plan for how your business will operate if critical infrastructure is taken offline for a while. What happens if your business does not have a plan for incident response? Speed is the key to mitigating a cyberattack. It is not the time to finger-point or play a forensic detective.
It may be necessary to engage a third-party data security expert to track down the point where the compromise occurred to fully understand the extent of the attack. They can collect evidence, create forensic images for any systems affected, and create a remediation strategy for your company. Besides your regular legal counsel, you may also want to consult with legal advisors that specialize in data privacy and cybersecurity.
While hiring outside help may appear expensive, it could prevent you from suffering significant damage in the future.
Be Transparent
When a data breach takes place, transparency is essential. After you have stopped the spread of an attack, notify your clients as soon as possible.
Inform your clients as soon as you can so that they can take steps to protect themselves in the event of a data leak. Transparency is key. Provide all necessary information on the extent of the breach and the type of data exposed.
It’s important to keep your clients up-to-date, but it’s also crucial that you provide them with accurate and clear information. You should have a clear understanding of the situation and any affected services. The last thing you want to do is cause panic and chaos among your clients and make them lose trust in you.
Plan Ahead
As soon as the immediate threat has passed, it’s important to review the response you made to the breach. You should get IT involved in auditing the systems affected and understanding exactly what happened. Also, make sure to assess your infrastructure for vulnerabilities and then take steps to secure them.
Keep in mind that staff training is essential if you want to prevent any future attacks. Educating your staff to recognize phishing attempts will also help tremendously in securing your network and data. The value of data has grown so much that thieves continue to exploit it, and security experts have to be on their toes in order not to fall behind criminals. However, a response plan allows your business to start the process of putting things back together if it is hit.
Final Words
A data breach is probably one of the most stressful experiences a company can go through, but it doesn’t have to spell the end for yours. Avoid significant brand damage by investing in the right tools, preparing a solid incident response plan, and considering the other information above as you prepare to face today’s challenges.
