Your company has just been hacked. Cyber criminals have made off with customer data. Phones are ringing off the hook and emails and instant messages are arriving faster than your computer and smartphone can handle them. What’s next?
Don’t Panic
Remember, as terrifying as this is, a data beach is a common occurrence and there are ways to deal with it. A record 783 companies reported data breaches in 2014. Big names like Home Depot, Target, and Neiman Marcus were among those hit, so you’re in good company. They handled it. So can you.
Contact the Pros and the Police
There are IT support companies in San Diego that specialize in data breach investigation and remediation. Hopefully you already have a breach plan in place and have researched which company would suit your business. Contact them right away so they can get started. Companies like this can handle they key concerns, such as preserving the chain of evidence, researching the breach, making sure the hole has been closed and helping to ensure it won’t happen again. Also, file a police report. Your local agency may not have the tools to pursue it, but this is a crucial first step for insurance purposes and for escalation to agencies like the FBI.
Get the Lawyers Involved
Data breaches are inextricably linked to the various laws regarding privacy, banking, contracts, and insurance, to name a few. Your corporate lawyer will be vital to navigating the post-breach process. They will also be able to help minimize liability from lawsuits or fines and, in general, guide your business through this complicated situation.
Form and Execute a Communication Plan
It’s key to decide what to tell customers, employees, partners, and shareholders. In varying degrees, they’ll need to know what happened, what you are doing about the problem, and what they have to do on their end. This is especially important for maintaining customer loyalty. Customers need to understand how you will protect them from the breach. Offering a year of free identity theft monitoring is a common tactic and a good start.
When it’s time to look at how to protect your business from a data breach in the future, call (760) 650-3300 and request a complimentary, no-obligation consultation from the trusted San Diego IT consulting company, Syndeo Communications. We are experts in IT support and can help you create a plan to mitigate short and long-term risk for cyber attacks.