There’s Been a Data Breach…Now What?

There’s Been a Data Breach…Now What?

There’s Been a Data Breach…Now What?

The days and weeks following a data breach are both stressful and overwhelming for a company. There is a lot to manage, and a small window of time to do so.

Take these proactive steps to minimize the damage and prevent the spread of viruses.

  1. Report the data breach to the information technology team- Involve your IT team as soon as a breach is noticed. It’s important at this stage to determine how wide spread it is.
  2. Isolate the data breach- Once your technical team identifies the origin, it should be isolated. In some instances, this action prevents the virus from spreading elsewhere.
  3. Document all findings during the investigation. This will reveal holes in your current cybersecurity plan and identify how and where the breach occurred. Use this information for planning in the future.
  4. Notify employees- Inform employees that a breach has occurred and provide any instructions for actions required on their part.
  5. Contact clients. There are legal mandates requiring businesses to notify clients when their personally identifiable information (PII) has been compromised. Be aware of the relevant mandates and respond appropriately.

Depending on your company size and other relevant factors, it may be worthwhile to invest in a cyber insurance policy. As data breaches become more common, cyber insurance policies are providing benefits including forensic investigations, crisis management services and assistance with legal fees.

Once the dust has settled, consider implementing some general cybersecurity best practices to prevent additional data breaches.

2019-07-15 16:34:00