Responding to a cyberattack

When a cyberattack occurs, the ability to respond swiftly and effectively can make the difference between a minor disruption and a catastrophic breach.

Effective cyberattack response strategies reduce damage and reputational impact on businesses, and the public may be more forgiving if the company can prove non-negligence. 

By containing the threat, communicating effectively, investigating thoroughly, and taking steps to strengthen security, organizations can recover from an attack and emerge stronger and better prepared for future challenges.

Immediate response: Contain and assess the damage

When a cyberattack happens, organizations must act fast to contain the threat and prevent additional harm. The following are recommendations for handling a cyberattack:

• Identify and contain: Once a breach is detected, the immediate goal must be to isolate affected systems to stop the attack from spreading, including disconnecting compromised devices from the network or shutting down specific services temporarily.
• Preserve evidence: Organizations must not delete or alter any files that could serve as evidence. Preserving logs, data, and related information will be important for understanding the attack and may be required for legal or compliance reasons.
• Activate your incident response team: Most organizations have an incident response plan with a designated team responsible for handling cyber incidents. Notify them immediately, including any external cybersecurity experts if necessary.

See also: Developing a HIPAA compliant incident response plan for data breaches

Communication: Keep stakeholders informed

Effective communication must be maintained during a cyberattack. You must inform the right people at the right time while maintaining transparency with your stakeholders.

• Notify key stakeholders: Inform internal stakeholders such as executives, IT teams, and legal counsel about the incident. Ensure that everyone understands their role in the response process.
• Understand legal obligations: Depending on the nature of the breach, you may be legally required to notify regulators, customers, or business partners. 
• Prepare public communication: If the attack has or could become public knowledge, consider preparing a statement to maintain transparency and trust. Communicate what happened, how you’re responding, and what affected parties should do.

Related: What are the HIPAA breach notification requirements

Investigate

Once the immediate threat is contained, a thorough investigation is needed to understand the nature of the attack and how it was executed.

• Analyze the attack: Work with cybersecurity experts to determine how the attackers gained access, what systems were compromised, and whether any sensitive data was accessed or stolen.
• Determine the root cause: Understanding the root cause of the breach helps prevent future incidents. Was it due to a software vulnerability, human error, or a phishing scam? Identifying this will guide your next steps.

See also: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide

Mitigation

After understanding the attack, focus on mitigating the damage and securing your systems to prevent future breaches.

• Patch vulnerabilities: Any security gaps that allowed the breach must be fixed immediately. Organizations may apply software patches, update firewall settings, or improve passwords.
• Strengthen security measures: Beyond fixing the immediate problem, consider implementing stronger security protocols, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), enhanced monitoring tools, or employee training on cybersecurity best practices.
• Restore systems: Work on safely restoring affected systems from secure backups or eliminating any presence of malware. Ensure restored systems are secure and functioning correctly before they go back online.

Recovery

Once systems are restored and vulnerabilities patched, it’s time to resume normal operations, but with heightened vigilance.

• Test systems: Before fully restoring normal operations, rigorously test systems to ensure they are secure and functioning as expected. This is a crucial step to avoid further disruptions.
• Monitor for further threats: Monitor your network and systems for any signs of lingering threats. Increased vigilance is necessary to ensure that attackers do not regain access.
• Reinforce policies: Review and update your cybersecurity policies and incident response plans based on what you’ve learned from the attack. 

Go deeper: Recovering from a cyberattack

Post-incident review: Learn and improve

Once the dust has settled, it’s time to reflect.

• Conduct a post-mortem: A detailed post-mortem analysis should be conducted to understand what went wrong, what worked, and what didn’t. Include input from all relevant departments and external partners.
• Train employees: Use the incident as an educational opportunity for your staff. Conduct training sessions to reinforce cybersecurity awareness and ensure that everyone understands how to prevent similar incidents in the future.
• Management report: Prepare a comprehensive report for management, detailing the incident, response actions, impact, and recommendations for improving security posture.

Read also: What not to do after a cyberattack

Legal and regulatory compliance

Finally, ensure that you’ve addressed all legal and regulatory obligations resulting from the cyberattack.

• Engage with legal counsel: Work with your legal team to address potential legal actions, compliance issues, or regulatory fines. Ensure all notifications required by law have been made.
• Notify affected parties: If sensitive data is compromised, you may need to notify affected individuals. Provide them with guidance on how to protect themselves and offer support, such as credit monitoring services, if applicable.

FAQs

Why is it important to preserve evidence during a cyberattack?

Preserving evidence, such as logs and affected files, helps understand the attack, determine the extent of the breach, and support any legal or regulatory investigations that may follow.

What is a post-mortem analysis, and why is it important?

A post-mortem analysis involves reviewing the incident in detail to understand what happened, how it was handled, and what can be improved. It’s important to learn from the experience and strengthen your cybersecurity posture.

How can we prevent future cyberattacks?

Regularly update and review your cybersecurity policies, conduct frequent employee training on cybersecurity best practices, implement robust security measures like multi-factor authentication, and ensure continuous monitoring of your systems.