So, your organisation has been hacked – now what?2 min read

In this day and age, it is almost an inevitability that any organisation will either suffer a data breach or have to fend off a cyberattack. The digital supply chain is simply too interconnected for it not to happen, as organisations may depend on third parties for their business or even look to increase their efficiency by outsourcing various processes.

So, instead of burying your head in the sand and hoping for the best, plan for the worst – because that will aid you in improving your organisation’s overall cybersecurity posture. Take some time to think through how you’d want your company to handle a cyberattack, before, during and after.

Before. Of course, you should always have some strong cybersecurity measures in place, including employee education on common phishing tactics, access control management and regular pentesting and patching. Similarly, you should also have a consistent insight into your organisation’s cybersecurity posture, using a tool like CyDesk to monitor any ongoing threats from your digital ecosystem. Finally, create a plan of what to do if there is a cyberattack – what devices may need to be wiped or what processes might need to be stalled if your organisation is subject to ransomware or a data leak? Which stakeholders need to be involved?

During. If your organisation is hit with a cyberattack, put your plan into action. Identify and notify the relevant stakeholders, and monitor the status of your devices and processes until everything is back online.

After. Key to the entire process of cyber resilience is ensuring that your organisation learns from any mistakes or unforeseen issues or nuances. What could have gone better, or how could a recovery process be made more efficient? Once the cyber threat is taken care of, touch base with all of the stakeholders involved and tweak your cyber resilience plan for future success.

There’s no guaranteed way to fully prevent cyberattacks anymore – the world has become too digitalised for that. However, with consistent planning, ongoing monitoring and careful consideration, you can ensure that your organisation is cyber resilient, ready to bounce back after a cyberattack.