Reducing the Impact of a Cybersecurity Incident in Your Business

Cybersecurity isn’t just a buzzword—it's a reality check. And let's face it, if you’re in business today, the question isn’t if you'll experience a cybersecurity incident, but when. I’ve been in the trenches with businesses of all sizes, and I can tell you firsthand: when it hits, it hits hard. So let’s talk about how to reduce the impact when (not if) cybersecurity threats happen to you.

I’m Leslie Babel from Digital Fire, and I’ve seen it all—from a ransomware attack that brings companies to their knees to phishing schemes that leave business owners shaking their heads, wondering how they got caught. My goal here isn’t to scare you; it's to prepare you. Because when you're prepared, you can reduce the damage and keep your business on track.

Initial response: stay calm and assess the situation

I know, easier said than done, right: Picture this: you’re sipping your morning coffee when you notice something’s off – maybe a colleague calls about an unauthorized access request, a vendor calls about a payment you know you made, or you can't access your files. .Your first thought is probably something like: "Is this a joke?", but very quickly panic sets in. Trust me, you’re not alone. It’s a natural reaction, but it’s the worst thing you can do. 

Instead, take a deep breath, channel your inner Sherlock Holmes, and start investigating. The first step is to confirm that something’s actually wrong. Maybe it's just a glitch, but if it smells fishy, it probably is. Don’t ignore it. Investigate it immediately and get help.

• Don’t panic: Seriously, take a breath.
• Verify the incident: Double-check what’s going on—don’t jump to conclusions.
• Get help immediately: Call in the experts for a cybersecurity assessment. You don’t have to go through this alone.

For more information on proactive cybersecurity measures and managed security services, check out our comprehensive IT security services.

Contain the incident and don’t rush to fix it

Now, here’s where most people trip up. The instinct is to fix it right away – because, let’s be real, who wants to be offline? But I’m telling you, don’t rush. You need to contain the problem first. The first step is to take your computer offline and tell your team to do the same. That way you contain the situation. 

Next, here is what NOT to do: don’t try to fix the situation! Otherwise, you might destroy the evidence that could help you figure out what happened and prevent it from happening again.

One time, I saw a company try to restore everything too quickly. They ended up deleting crucial logs that could have shown the details of the cyber attack, such as how the hackers got in. Ouch. So remember: isolate affected systems and protect your evidence to determine the threat. Think of it as securing a crime scene. You wouldn’t wipe down the fingerprints before the detectives arrive, right?

Key Actions:

• Isolate affected systems: Prioritize network security. Take compromised devices offline—no more internet for them!
• Protect evidence: Don’t delete anything. You’ll need those breadcrumbs later.
  

Understand the scope of the incident

This is where you need to put on your detective hat and dig deep. Before you start the cleanup, you need to know just how bad it is. What did they get? How long were they in your system? Did they breach information security and accessed digital information, personal information, or sensitive information? You might feel like you’re wasting time here, but trust me, you’re saving yourself from a world of hurt down the line.

I had a business owner tell me they thought they had everything under control after they had reinstalled backups and had lost weeks of work, only to find out that the attackers had been inside their systems for months so they had reinstalled an infected backup. In the meantime they had lost weeks of work for nothing. They could have saved themselves so much trouble if they’d just taken the time to understand the full scope of the incident.

After they became our client we put a recovery plan in place that prevents getting hacked in the first place, and makes sure we don’t fix the situation before we know exactly what we’re dealing with. 

Key Actions:

• Conduct a forensic investigation: Call our cybersecurity services if you need to. You’re looking for answers, not guesses.
• Assess the damage: Know what they got, how long they were there, and whether they left any nasty surprises behind.

Don’t neglect communication

Ah, communication—the bane of every crisis manager’s existence. But here’s the deal: you have to talk to people. Your team, your customers, your partners—they need to know what’s going on. But, and this is important, don’t use words like "hack" or "breach" until you know exactly what happened. It could come back to bite you.

I once dealt with a situation where a company announced they had been "hacked" before they had all the facts. That little slip-up cost them big in both legal fees and customer trust. Instead, keep it simple: you’re dealing with an IT issue, and you’re on it.

Key Actions:

• Designate a communication lead: Someone’s got to be in charge of the messaging—make sure it’s clear and consistent.
• Be transparent but cautious: Inform without causing panic. Choose your words carefully.
• Prepare for questions: You’ll get them, so be ready with answers.

Prepare for downtime, but minimize it

Downtime—it’s the word that sends shivers down every business owner's spine. But here’s the thing: you need to be prepared for it. The goal isn’t to avoid downtime entirely (though that would be nice), but to manage it smartly. If you try to rush through the containment phase, you’re just asking for a second wave of attacks.

I’ve seen companies that were down for days because they tried to fix everything too quickly. Yes, it stinks to be offline longer than you want, but trust me, it’s better than getting hit again. Plan for it, deal with it, and move on.

Key Actions:

• Plan for containment downtime: Accept that you might be offline for a bit longer, but it’s worth it.
• Use alternative systems: Have backups or cloud security services ready to keep things moving as much as possible.

A solid backup reduces your downtime

Now let’s talk about prevention. Backups are your best friend, but don’t get too comfortable. If a hacker’s been in your system for weeks, your backups could be compromised too. That’s why you need a solid backup strategy that goes beyond the basics.

I always recommend the 3-2-1 backup rule: three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one copy offsite. And test those backups regularly! You’d be surprised how many people never test their backups until it’s too late.

Key Actions:

• Separate backups: Make sure your backups aren’t sitting right next to your main systems.
• Test your backups regularly: Don’t just assume they work—test them!
• Backup logs: Logs are just as important as data. Back them up too.
  

Planning ahead: incident response plans

Finally, let’s talk about planning ahead. I can’t stress this enough: having a security incident response plan in place is crucial. It’s like having a fire drill for your business. You don’t want to be figuring out what to do in the middle of the chaos.

If you haven’t prepared as well as you should, now’s the time. Sit down with your team and get a plan and security policy in place. And don’t just file it away—train your people on it. Run simulations to demonstrate security risk. Make sure everyone knows their role when (not if) something goes wrong.

Key actions:

• Develop an Incident Response Plan: This isn’t just for IT—everyone needs to be on board.
• Train Your Team: Make sure everyone knows the plan and their role in it.
• Simulate Attacks: Practice makes perfect. Run drills to see how prepared you really are.

Learn more about our Business Continuity Services to help prepare your company for any IT issues.

Conclusion: the cost of not being prepared

Look, I get it—cybersecurity isn’t the most exciting topic. But it’s one of the most important things you can invest in for your business. The cost of not being prepared is far higher than the cost of putting the right security measures in place.

So take this seriously. Work with your team, plan for the worst, and hope for the best. And if you ever need help, you know where to find me. I’ve been through this before, and I’m here to make sure you get through it too with the right security solution.