5 Things to Remember When your Business is Under Attack

Dealing with negative press is never easy. But the challenge is hard to avoid if the security of your business is compromised or threatened.

Whether the difficulties stem from cyber threats, legal challenges, or any other form of disruption, how you react makes the difference.

In trying times, it’s crucial to stay calm and take action to protect your company’s reputation. Mitigating the potential damage starts with preventative measures, including a thorough security training programme for all staff. 

Whether you’re going online for the first time or looking to enhance and strengthen your e-commerce strategy, it’s always worth knowing how to respond in a crisis. 

Why Might My Business Fall Under Threat?

In the digital sphere, businesses face multifaceted online threats. A few of the most prevalent in the UK and internationally include malware and data misuse. 

Cybersecurity breaches are so common that 32% of all UK businesses reported an attack in the 12 months from April 2022.

Privacy issues can be catastrophic. Whether sensitive customer information is incorrectly shared or accidentally leaked to an external source, recovering from a data breach takes time, transparency and swift action.  

What Should I Do If My Business is Under Attack?

1. Stay Calm

Firstly, it’s crucial to stay calm despite the stress. Panicking can lead to hasty decisions that could exacerbate the situation, so you need to try to keep a clear head and focus on addressing the situation with a strategic and compartmentalised approach.

Remember, your employees might be affected by the attack too. Keep things transparent and make sure they’re provided with the necessary support and information to ease their concerns.

2. Activate Your Incident Response Plan

Every business should have incident response plans to follow. 

Assess the nature of the attack to decide which plan to follow and keep your employees informed about the situation. You should also make sure the whole team is aware of the potential impact on your business, along with any immediate changes to operations.

If the attack makes you realise that your action plan is outdated or insufficient, it’s time to adopt new strategies. You can access varied and informative resources from the National Cyber Security Centre, which could help you to embed processes into your organisation.

3. Secure all Online Systems and Data

Prioritise securing or pausing your IT systems and any sensitive data to prevent further breaches. You might also need to change passwords, isolate compromised systems and apply necessary security measures.

Don’t hesitate to outsource external security experts if the breach goes beyond your in-house level of expertise. The sooner you tackle and stem the issue at source, the sooner you can start to get your business back on track. 

4. Contact your Legal Team

Engaging legal counsel will provide you with the support of qualified professionals throughout the process. In the case of data breaches or theft of intellectual property, you need to ensure that your rights, responsibilities, and potential liabilities can be formally upheld.

If the attack involved illegal activities, you might also need to work with law enforcement agencies or the police. Local authorities could also contact you to help you source and prosecute the perpetrators.

No matter the level of support, it’s your responsibility to keep a written record of all actions taken, formal communications, and decisions made during the crisis.

5. Stay Prepared

You might not be able to change or undo recent events, but as a business you can learn from the past. Take some time to reflect on your response and identify areas you managed poorly, what worked well, and how you might be able to improve your overall security strategy. 

Keeping a robust and refined plan in place will ensure you can respond effectively and promptly. Obtaining an insurance policy tailored to your industry could prove invaluable if your business comes under attack again too. 

To Sum Up

Unfortunately, no business is safe from cybersecurity threats and data breaches. 

Even after installing thorough policies, data protection teams and online privacy systems, you could still be at risk. Always make sure that your staff know the incident response plan and don’t hesitate to seek further assistance when required.