What to Do After You Have Been Breached
Data breaches are scary. If one person’s computer falls victim to a data breach, that person is vulnerable to identity theft as well as losing access to the files they have stored on the device. When a data breach affects the computer network of a large company, though, it leaves thousands of people vulnerable to identity theft. The financial losses for the company can be huge, not only because of the data it loses and the resources it must devote to repairing the breach, but also because of lawsuits from people who suffered financial losses because of the theft of their personal identifying information by hackers. The New York cybersecurity consultants at Perspective Omni Media can help you deal with the fallout from a data breach at your company and prevent future breaches.
How Corporate Data Breaches Happen
Some data breaches take the form of phishing scams, where scammers send emails made to appear like they are from within the company to employees, asking the employees to verify passwords. Other times, hackers gain access to the device or network when an employee downloads a file or opens an email attachment. Sometimes these downloads can infect the computer system with ransomware, which allows hackers to make the device inaccessible until the victim pays money or provides identifying information.
Stopping the Breach in Its Tracks
If a data breach affects a computer at your company, your first task is to stop it from affecting other computers in the network. Here are some emergency measures you can take immediately after you discover a data breach:
Disconnect the affected device from the Internet
Disable the device’s remote settings
Install any pending updates and make sure that firewall settings are up to date
Change the password to the device and the affected person’s password to their work email and/or employee portal
Notifying the Relevant Parties
You should notify all employees at the company of the breach as soon as you become aware of it. Additionally, you should set up a hotline for customers to call with questions about the breach and send notices to all customers whose data might have been affected; make sure to be candid with them about the extent of the breach. Once you know how extensive the damage is, file a claim with your cybersecurity insurance company.
Preventing Future Data Breaches at Your Company
All businesses can benefit from professional cybersecurity services. Cybersecurity experts can help you develop a plan for protecting your company’s data. They can keep your company up to date on cybersecurity, installing all the newest patches to recently discovered vulnerabilities in the software you use. They can also help you build a plan for what all employees can do to prevent and respond to breaches, including regular cybersecurity training and cyber fire drills with the staff of your company.
Contact Perspective Omni Media About Corporate Data Breaches
Perspective Omni Media is a cybersecurity consulting firm that offers cybersecurity solutions for small and medium-sized businesses in New York City and the Tri-State area.Contact Perspective Omni Media about preventing and mitigating damage from corporate data breaches.