Businesses often keep data about customers that could include sensitive financial information. Cybercriminals are constantly attempting to breach systems and gain access to this data. If your systems are breached or your server goes down, your clients could be exposed to identity theft. You can minimize the damage of a hardware malfunction or data breach if your IT service department follows the steps below. If you’ve lost customer data to a breach or hardware malfunction, having your IT service department follow the steps below can minimize the damage.
After Data Loss: What to Do
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Secure Your System
Have your team assess the entire network immediately if your data loss was caused by a breach. Cybercriminals, looking for ways to steal even more information, may still be monitoring your system.
Disconnect any affected machines from the internet immediately, and conduct a forensic investigation before you turn them off. You can also close processes and programs the data thieves used to get in by shutting off the server.
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Get Expert Consultation
You can get valuable insight into the severity and scope of the breach from IT service professionals with expertise in data breaches. Along with your tech team, you may also want to speak with an attorney to determine your legal liability for the data loss.
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Revert to Backups
An essential part of any IT security system is regular data backups. Backups can fully restore any records you lost as a result of hardware damage or a disaster in the building.
Even before the breach was discovered, cybercriminals may have been lurking inside your network for some time. Have your IT service experts review your backups before initializing the process if you’ve been the victim of data theft. Otherwise, the criminals’ software may be inadvertently restored along with your data.
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Contact Your Customers
In every state, including Texas, businesses must notify parties whose information may have been compromised in a data breach. If you work in a particularly sensitive industry you may also be required to inform the state government of the data loss.