Data breaches are becoming more common than ever before. In fact, small businesses were victims of 58% of attacks in 2018.
Of course, you need to take precautions to defend your business, but what if it does happen? Your recovery plan can be just as important.
Most businesses forget about a recovery plan assuming that a data breach will never happen to them…until it does.
Speak to the Experts
To begin with, it’s wise to talk to someone who specializes in cyber intelligence. Attacks are estimated to cause $6 trillion in damages by 2021, so now it’s never been more important.
Talking to a company like Cytelligence doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Cyber specialists are increasingly working with small businesses that have smaller budgets.
A consultant can inform you on what to do, what your weaknesses are, and whether you’re vulnerable.
Line Up Forensics
The key to reacting to a breach is to know how to stop it. Unless you’re an expert, you need to make sure you have someone in IT forensics lined up. Cyber attacks are not like a fire. They continue for weeks, and even months.
Having a forensics expert will help you pinpoint the breach and do something about it to stop the bleeding.
Do You Have Legal Representation?
The presence of policies like GDPR and many domestic policies means that small businesses don’t get taken down by a cyber attack but by the malpractice lawsuits afterwards.
You must have a lawyer ready who can defend your interests. Furthermore, a cyber attack insurance policy can protect you against the costs.
This dual-bladed weapon may be what ultimately allows your business to move on, rather than falling into the dirt.
Communicate with Your Customers
You have a duty to inform anyone who may have been impacted by a data breach. Moving swiftly can enable your clients to strengthen their protections before anything happens.
Corporations have had a habit in the past of trying to cover these instances up. This is a mistake. It can damage consumer confidence and lead to even greater lawsuits.
Make it a priority to communicate with your customers even if you only suspect there’s been a data breach.
Train Your Employees
Your small business is more than just you. Go out of your way to train your employees on cyber security best practices. They don’t need to be experts, but they do need a basic knowledge of what to do and what not to do.
If you have the funds you may even want to consider bringing in a cyber security specialist to train your employees.
Last Words – Cyber Security Has Never Been More Important
Understand that cyber security has never been more important than it is now. The number of cyber attacks is increasing, and ordinary customers are becoming more aware of data security.
Be proactive in your strategy not reactive. There are no guarantees that you’ll never witness a cyber attack, no matter how good your security is.
The key is how you react.
Have you prepared a plan for a cyber security attack yet?
