How to Mitigate a Data Breach
A data breach occurs when sensitive, protected or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, altered or used by an individual without permission. It’s an act that can result in data loss, identity theft, or harm to the consumer.
Depending on the source, a breach could be an insider or an external attack. Internal threats are more common, but there are also instances where employees unwittingly share information within their organization. For example, a member of 24 NHS accidentally sent emails containing medical information to every employee in the company — giving them access to their colleagues’ sensitive health data.
When a security incident is detected, one should take several steps to mitigate its impact on the business. First, one should conduct a thorough investigation to find out what happened and why. Then, one should work with forensics experts to determine who was compromised, what types of data were exposed and how many people are affected.
Second, one should inform affected customers about the security incident as soon as possible. This will help them to avoid phishing scams and keep their information safe.
Third, one should notify affected customers in multiple ways so that they have multiple options to receive updates. Some organizations post notifications on their website, while others send emails or call consumers.
It is also important to work with forensics experts to get a forensic report that will show the origin of the breach and help in preventing future attacks. Once this is done, one should ensure that all affected systems are analyzed and that the compromised data is backed up or preserved for future use.