Companies often feel confident in their ability to respond to a data breach with an outlined plan. However, when faced with the reality of a ransomware attack, the situation can quickly become chaotic and overwhelming. Systems go offline, customer services are disrupted, and data may be lost or encrypted, leaving businesses feeling as if they will never recover.
This is a common occurrence, as even organizations with well-designed data protection plans often find themselves having to deviate from their original strategy. In fact, according to Veeam’s “2023 Ransomware Trends” report, 80% of organizations that had a “do-not-pay” ransomware policy ultimately ended up paying the ransom to recover their data and cease the attack.
To better prepare for such situations, it is crucial to ensure that you have a comprehensive and up-to-date data breach response plan. Whether you already have some elements in place or are starting from scratch, there are key aspects that can easily be overlooked during the development of this plan.
One important consideration is the utilization of a breach counsel, which is a legal team that specializes in advising on data breaches to mitigate damages and ensure compliance. Although it may seem like an additional expense, these professionals possess expertise in data breach and security law and have dealt with similar incidents numerous times before. Their calm and experienced perspective can be invaluable in managing the aftermath of an attack.
Connecting with a breach counsel is particularly important because cyberattacks are often not isolated events, as threat actors simultaneously target multiple organizations. A breach counsel can help identify crucial information about the attack, notify law enforcement, and ensure compliance with local regulations. By offloading this responsibility, you can focus your energy on dealing with the attack, restoring your data, and getting your business back up and running.
Some organizations may be hesitant to involve legal and law enforcement entities due to concerns about negative publicity or getting caught up in an extensive investigation. However, it is essential to recognize that notifying the police is a legal obligation in most jurisdictions. Working hand in hand with law enforcement can increase the chances of identifying and prosecuting the responsible individuals. The police might also possess information about the attack that could aid your organization, such as a decryptor. Additionally, sharing information about the breach encourages future cybercrime by signaling to criminals that they can act with impunity.
In the event of a system shutdown during a ransomware attack, it may become difficult to contact colleagues, third-party cybersecurity providers, or breach counsel since access to contact books, Active Directories, and email accounts may be compromised. To mitigate this issue, it is highly beneficial to have a robust LinkedIn network. This social media platform can serve as an alternative means of reaching out to stakeholders in an emergency when traditional communication methods are unavailable.
Furthermore, it is crucial to foster cross-department collaboration to prevent organizational silos during a response plan. While IT teams may initially feel that they are the sole stakeholders in incident management, this mindset risks miscommunication, inefficiency, and even reinfection if other departments take independent action without proper coordination. Clearly defining and communicating the plan of action to all relevant departments ensures that everyone understands their role and contributes to a coordinated response. Involving the C-suite is also important, as the impact of a breach can extend throughout the organization, affecting employees at all levels, including high-ranking executives.
Lastly, the role of backups in safeguarding organizations from catastrophic data loss cannot be underestimated. Backup storage acts as the last line of defense against ransomware attacks, which are increasingly frequent and sophisticated. Cybercriminals now frequently target backups, with over 93% of ransomware attacks specifically aiming to compromise them, according to Veeam’s report. Merely creating backups is no longer sufficient; organizations must also ensure that their backups use immutable object storage. Immutable storage prevents data from being altered or corrupted, thereby enhancing data integrity and resilience against attacks. Following the 3-2-1-1-0 best practice for backups, which involves having at least three copies of data, using two different types of backup media, keeping one copy offsite, making one copy immutable, and ensuring no backup errors, can further bolster ransomware recovery and guard against natural disasters or cloud outages.
In conclusion, responding to a data breach is a complex and challenging endeavor that should not be underestimated. It is crucial for businesses to recognize the importance of proactive breach response preparation and avoid complacency. A well-designed and regularly updated response plan, along with the involvement of breach counsel, cross-department collaboration, utilization of LinkedIn networks, and implementation of immutable backups, can significantly enhance an organization’s ability to effectively respond to a data breach. Being prepared for such an event is essential, as one day, it is not a question of if an attack will occur, but rather when.