Central Florida Business A Victim Of A Data Breach? Now What?

Written by Marcel Manning on May 17, 2020 Under Who can you trust with your business technology?

How Should You Respond To A Data Breach?

Data breaches and hacking attempts are a part of life in the modern business world. Do you know how to respond when you suspect you’ve been hacked?

Did you know it takes most businesses up to 6 months to find out that they’ve experienced a data breach?

That’s why cybersecurity is about more than prevention – it’s about intelligence and response as well. You need to know when an attack has been attempted, just as much as you need to know when an attack has been successful.

Would you know if your data has been breached?

How Can You Find Out If You’ve Been Hacked?

Cybercriminals are very good at causing trouble and making it difficult for businesses to detect that they have been hacked until long after the fact. That’s why proactive, preventative measures are the best approach to keeping a company’s data, networks, and systems secure.

If you think you may have been the victim of ransomware, phishing, or another type of cybercrime, your first step is to get in touch with your IT support immediately. If you haven’t already, don’t hesitate to hire professional cybersecurity experts to handle your breach response processes. Hardening your systems against attacks and thereby making yourself a harder target for cybercriminals is absolutely critical.

Regular monitoring is the most effective way to detect a potential cyberattack. However, there are certain common tactics cybercriminals employ which are easy to spot if a business remains alert for their signs. These include:

• Redirected Internet searches
• Invalid passwords
• Unexpected software
• Random popups
• Ransom messages (via ransomware attacks)
• Fake antivirus messages
• Unwanted browser toolbars

A thorough check of any system event logs will also record confirmation of intrusion attempts. These can be found in a number of places including the logs for a company’s firewall, anti-virus, and web filtering services. A combination of these protocols and a partnership with a team of cybersecurity professionals are the best way to keep your data, systems, and networks protected against the threat of cybercriminals.

How Should You Respond To An Attempted Hack?

1. Disconnect: If a business suspects their networks are at immediate risk, the first step is to disconnect the computer from the company’s network to inhibit further exploitation attempts on other systems. Simply remove the network cable from its connection point, usually a tower or laptop. This step should be then followed by disabling the WiFi settings. It is critical that this is performed manually to make sure it’s been properly disconnected.
2. Power Down: Once the computer has been removed from the network, it is then necessary to power down the machine to prevent any potential damage. Anti-virus programs should theoretically provide protection against this, but this additional security measure is a wise move to fortify any potential vulnerabilities.
3. Reset: As a final step, it is critical that all passwords be reset from a separate machine. New passwords should bear no resemblance to ones used in the past. To be certain that all access points are now properly secured, be sure to change passwords on any account or profile linked to the business or its employees including social media platforms, financial institution accounts, and email.

How Can You Find Out If You’re Vulnerable To Hacking Right Now?

Don’t wait until a cybercriminal attacks to find out whether your cybersecurity is truly effective – let NexgenTec show you right now.

Our team will help you figure out precisely what you don’t know about your cybersecurity, carrying out robust cybersecurity testing and recommending best practices and proven solutions to address any vulnerabilities that could put you at risk.