What to Do After a Data Breach
Data Breach occurs when sensitive information is stolen, exposed or compromised. The harm caused by a breach can be substantial, from loss of consumer trust and business, to financial penalties and regulatory actions.
Data breaches occur due to a variety of factors, including software flaws and weak passwords, insider threats (such as angry or laid-off employees who want to hurt the company) and hackers that are lone operators or part of cybercrime rings. Attackers can be motivated by the desire for financial gain, which includes stealing credit card account numbers and personal health records for identity theft. They may also seek to expose intellectual property or trade secrets for corporate espionage.
After a breach, it’s critical to review your forensics reports and implement recommended remediation measures as quickly as possible. Be sure to check whether your network segmentation was effective and ensure that a breach in one server or site doesn’t allow attackers to move laterally through your systems and access more valuable information.
It’s also essential to communicate with the affected consumers as soon as possible after a breach. Provide clear, simple answers to questions that will help them protect themselves and their information. A good communications plan should include a call to action for consumers, like contacting the major credit bureaus to request fraud alerts and freezes on their files. It should also include a plan for educating employees on cybersecurity practices, so they can better defend the business against future attacks.