If you’re reading this, you likely already understand the importance of cyber security. Perhaps you’ve already set up key protections—firewalls, antivirus software, and multi-factor authentication—to keep your business safe. Fantastic! But here’s the truth: No matter how advanced your security is, no system is invulnerable.
Think of it like this: even the sturdiest lock on your front door won’t deter the most determined burglars. The same applies to cyber criminals. Despite your best efforts, the worst might still happen, and it’s essential to have a plan in place for when it does.
So, what do you do if your defences are breached? Let’s break it down into five straightforward steps that will help you recover quickly and minimise damage.
1. Stay Calm and Assess the Situation
When a cyber attack hits, panic is your worst enemy. Take a moment to compose yourself and gather your team (virtually or in person). A clear-headed approach is essential for assessing what’s happened.
The first step is to figure out the extent of the damage. Which systems or data have been compromised? Can you still access critical functions? Begin gathering evidence, taking notes, and documenting everything. You’ll need these details later for any internal reports or regulatory obligations.
Next, identify how the attackers got in. Was it through phishing? Did someone accidentally download malware? Understanding the root cause will help you plug the gap and prevent a similar breach in the future.
2. Contain the Breach Immediately
Once you know what’s been affected, you need to contain the situation. The goal here is to stop the attack from spreading any further.
- Isolate infected systems: Disconnect compromised devices from your network to prevent further damage.
- Shut down compromised accounts: Change passwords and disable any accounts that may have been accessed.
- Block suspicious activity: Identify and block unusual network traffic to ensure attackers can’t maintain access.
Depending on the severity of the attack, you may need to notify the appropriate authorities—this could be law enforcement or regulatory bodies, especially if sensitive data has been compromised.
3. Begin the Restoration Process
Once the immediate threat has been contained, it’s time to focus on restoring normal operations.
- Prioritise critical systems: Identify and restore the systems that are essential for running your business, like customer databases or financial records.
- Recover data from backups: Hopefully, your business has regular backups in place. Use the most recent, clean version to restore compromised data and systems. Before doing so, verify that your backup hasn’t been compromised during the attack.
- Update security patches: Ensure that any vulnerabilities that were exploited have been patched. This might mean updating software, changing firewall settings, or tightening access controls.
- Test everything: Don’t rush back into business as usual. Thoroughly test all restored systems to make sure everything is secure and working correctly before resuming operations.
Throughout this process, it’s important to keep all stakeholders informed about what’s happened, how you’re fixing it, and when things will be back to normal. Open communication will maintain their confidence and trust in your business.
4. Learn from the Experience and Improve
While recovering from a cyber attack can feel like crossing the finish line, there’s one more crucial step: reflection and improvement. Use this as an opportunity to strengthen your defences.
- Conduct a post-attack security audit: Look at what went wrong and why. Identify gaps in your current security setup and determine how to address them.
- Reinforce multi-layered security: A good security plan should have multiple layers—firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus software, encryption, and employee training. Together, these create a more robust defence.
- Review employee training: Your team plays a vital role in preventing attacks. Ensure they understand how to identify phishing emails, avoid risky websites, and handle sensitive data securely. Regular training will keep these lessons fresh.
- Monitor systems continuously: Real-time monitoring allows you to detect and respond to future threats before they cause serious harm.
By learning from the attack and adapting, your business will be in a much stronger position to prevent and handle future incidents.
5. Develop a Proactive Incident Response Plan
Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated, and it’s not enough to just react when they happen. Having a solid incident response plan in place beforehand will ensure your business can respond quickly and efficiently if another breach occurs.
- Create a dedicated incident response team: This team should include representatives from IT, legal, security, and communications. They’ll be responsible for managing the response when an attack happens.
- Establish clear procedures: Each team member should have clearly defined roles. Create detailed step-by-step procedures for identifying, containing, and mitigating different types of attacks.
- Test your plan: Regularly run simulations and tabletop exercises to test your incident response plan. These practice runs will reveal any weaknesses and ensure your team knows exactly what to do during a real incident.
- Communication is key: Ensure that all staff are aware of the plan, and know who to report to if they suspect an incident.
Bonus Tip: Partner with a Trusted Managed IT Service Provider
Cyber security can feel overwhelming, especially for small and medium-sized businesses that lack in-house expertise. That’s where partnering with a managed IT service provider (like Dial A Geek) can make all the difference.
We specialise in providing comprehensive cyber security solutions, from proactive monitoring and threat detection to managing incident responses. With our expert team on your side, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your business is protected by professionals who stay on top of the latest threats and trends.
A partnership with Dial A Geek isn’t just about reacting to threats. We can help prevent attacks before they even start by assessing your current systems, identifying vulnerabilities, and implementing best-in-class solutions. Plus, working with us is cost-effective, saving you the expense of maintaining an in-house security team.
Cyber security is too important to leave to chance. If you’d like to discuss how Dial A Geek can help protect your business from cyber threats, let’s have a chat. We’ve already helped over 1000 businesses in Bristol and across the UK—yours could be next. Book a meeting with Gildas Jones today!