How to Respond to a Data Breach
A data breach occurs when confidential or sensitive information is exposed to unauthorized users. This can be due to an attack, negligence or human error.
Data breaches can be costly for organizations and individuals. They can result in a loss of trust, lost customers and revenue, fines and settlements, regulatory penalties, cybersecurity insurance premium increases and long-term damage to an organization’s reputation.
Most cyberattacks are incentivized by financial gain. Attackers can sell stolen personal identifiable information (PII) or exploit compromised credentials for identity theft and fraud. Attackers often target weak security measures such as unpatched software, unsecured cloud services and passwords stored in plain text.
Create a response plan: It’s critical to have a clear plan for how to communicate with affected consumers, employees and other stakeholders. You’ll want to identify the kind of information accessed in the breach, who was targeted, and what the impact may be.
Publish a breach notice: Immediately after a data breach, companies should publish a breach notice on their website and social media accounts. They should also contact any search engines that have archived information to ask them to remove it.
Consider hiring an independent forensics team. An expert can help determine the scope of the breach, capture forensic images and provide recommendations for remediation.
Consider consulting with legal counsel. They can advise on state and federal laws that may apply to your data breach.