Few people want to spend a lot of time thinking and planning for the worst-case scenario–especially when it comes to cybersecurity. However, by developing a cybersecurity breach response plan before that day comes, you can mitigate the severity of your “worst-case.”

Data security is simply a part of life now. No matter what your business, protecting your and your clients’ information is critical. But you don’t have to become an expert in data security systems. You can partner with a cybersecurity agency such as The Baran Agency. We will help you protect your data against a breach, run test simulations, train your staff, and create a breach response plan for when an attack on your company occurs.

Here are six steps for creating a cybersecurity breach response plan.

1. Brief employees on data breaches. A breach may not always be intentional or severe. It’s essential to educate employees on the array of threats posed to data systems and their potential role through methods such as phishing scams. A well-informed team is one of the best defense tools a company can have. They’re better positioned to spot a data breach and develop a proportional response.
2. Select vital members of your organization to respond to the breach. A fast response is fundamental to containment and recovery during a cybersecurity attack—task individuals in every department with specific response roles. The cybersecurity breach response plan should address public relations, IT support, customer response, and internal communications. You have a much more efficient response when you give team members specific responsibilities they’re able to practice prior to a breach.
3. Develop seasonal employee awareness campaigns. Data security technology is always evolving. It’s critical to keep your teams updated about new kinds of security breaches and the steps the company will take to prevent them. Awareness campaigns can take various forms, from email bulletins to in-person training and tabletop exercises. These campaigns allow employees to visualize data breaches and their responsibilities in prevention and recovery.
4. Run an array of cybersecurity drills. By sending out false phishing scams and performing cybersecurity incidents, you can see the real-time performance of your breach response plan. These drills also let your team members get comfortable in a worst-case scenario. You can provide feedback and improve response time. Exercises help employees keep a cool head following a data breach.
5. Establish containment protocols. By improving response times with proven containment protocols, you can minimize the severity of data breaches. Clear protocols remove the panic and frustration from cybersecurity attacks. Outlined steps enable all team members to re-establish data security and learn from the breach.
6. Review and test frequently. The same way you run fire drills in your building, the goal is to empower people to remain calm and focused in an emergency. Testing and review provide additional benefits to a cybersecurity breach response plan. The more you review you’ll be able to find and repair flaws, improve response time, and get skilled at containment.

You don’t have to develop your response plan alone. By partnering with cybersecurity experts with military training in data breach response, you can ensure your company is ready for the worst-case scenario, whenever it strikes.

Create a cybersecurity breach response plan with The Baran Agency today.

We’re ready and available to put our specialized training to work developing a breach response plan for your company. Our cybersecurity experts received training from well-vetted ex-military agents who honed their skills in the field. Their dedicated expertise helps clients prevent and prepare for cybersecurity attacks.

You can become more prepared today, even if you’ve never before considered your company’s cybersecurity. Fill out our online form for a free consultation with our experts today.