Recovering from a Hack

For most businesses, the deck is stacked against them when it comes to cybersecurity. The statistics show just how common hacking is nationwide. Of the 380 million websites in the United States, there is a near-constant rate of hacker attacks of computers with Internet access. That rate estimates that a hack occurs every 39 seconds on average, according to a Clark School study at the University of Maryland. Planning for recovery from a hack in the hours and days following a breach is extremely important.

Inform Critical Players When Hacking Occurs

Once an employee, IT professional, or client informs you that something doesn’t look right or that sensitive information may have been compromised, start by informing the key players who can get you on the track to recovery. There should be an assigned point-of-contact who is responsible for coordinating all of the teams. This person makes sure that all information is relayed between the key players, internal staff, and external consultants. This minimizes confusion.

Isolate The Computer That Is Under Attack

Once you have identified that there is a hack, you will want to isolate the computer. Basically cut off the computer's ability to communicate with the rest of your network so the hacker can not continue to gain information. This may include pulling out the network cable and turning off the Wifi connection.

Complete a Damage Assessment

Your IT team can investigate which files were accessed and what information was lost during the hack. Included in this process will be detecting and removing viruses, malware, and other malicious content that may have been downloaded onto your system. In addition, your IT team will want to evaluate where the problem originated and where future vulnerabilities may lie.

Restore your Server After Hacking Occurs

Remember how we always say to practice regular backups? This is where our advice comes into play. Use your backups to restore any lost or damaged files or data once the entire system has been scanned and infections have been removed.

Who Needs a Report?

Once your IT team has worked their magic and brought your system back, there may be even more work to do. Now comes the time for business leaders to determine who needs to be informed about the breach and what the consequences mean for your company.

Does your business have a protocol to follow if there is a breach? Do all levels of leadership know what to do? Are compliance regulations being met during the recovery? If you need help securing your system or recovering after a breach, then contact our team at Spectra Networks. Call us at 978.219.9752 or visit our website.

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