Picture this: you’re at your desk when you hear someone exclaim, “Oh no!” You try to resume your work, but your computer isn’t responding. In fact, no one’s computer is working. The company’s network has been compromised, and there’s a ransom demand to get it back online. What do you do? How will your team respond?
If you’re an executive, you’ve likely considered this scenario. Maybe you’ve even taken action. But did you ensure your IT manager or network administrator has a comprehensive plan in place? Whose responsibility is it to handle such a crisis? Perhaps the plan relies on a cyber insurance policy, but remember, the insurance payout depends on your compliance. If your compliance is lacking, the insurance company might cover as little as possible.
Are you prepared to pay the ransom, potentially funding criminal activities like drug cartels, gangs, or human trafficking? Or are you counting on backups? Have they been tested? Has your team identified the critical systems needed to maintain business continuity during the incident? Will your employees be able to keep working, or will they be sent home?
Who will report the breach to the authorities and notify customers about their compromised data? If you pay the ransom, how will it affect your reputation?
Step 1 – Preparation: Before an incident occurs, ensure you have a documented plan that is secure and accessible offline. Assign roles and responsibilities clearly.
Step 2 – Identification, Detection, and Analysis: As soon as a breach is detected, communication is crucial. Quickly assess the situation to understand the scope and impact.
Step 3 – Containment and Mitigation: Work to stop the spread of the breach to prevent further damage.
Step 4 – Eradication: Remove the threat and clean up any compromised systems.
Step 5 – Recovery: Restore data and systems according to your incident response plan, prioritizing critical systems to resume business operations.
Step 6 – Learning and Re-testing: Review the incident to understand how and why it happened. Use this information to train your team and improve your response plan.
An incident response plan provides clear guidance on managing a breach, detailing the sequence of actions and assigning responsibilities. It should include strategies for handling various types of incidents and guidelines for assessing their severity.
The big question is: Does your company have an Incident Response Plan? If not, what are you waiting for?
For questions, contact us at info@controlaltprotect.com Or call 877-292-3791