The Clock Is Ticking When a Threat Is Detected

 

Don’t wait for a hacker to hit before developing your incident response plan. For smaller manufacturers, even a small security breach can have a significant impact on their operations. Acting upon instantly will empower you to better contain or lower the impact of a cyber attack.

 

Develop a Plan for Information Security Incidents

 

When developing your response strategy, look at the immediate actions you and your employees will need to take in case there is an incident. Your response plan should include:

 

Roles and Responsibilities

 

- Who: Make a list of who to call in the instance of an incident. It’s crucial you know who will make the decision to initiate recovery procedures and who will be the primary contact with appropriate law enforcement personnel.

- What: Be sure you have a plan for what to do with your data in the case of an incident. This may include shutting down or locking your computer systems, moving your information to a backup site, and/or physically getting rid of important documents and sensitive materials.

- When: Determine when to alert senior management, emergency personnel, cybersecurity professionals, legal council, service providers, or insurance providers. Be sure to include all relevant contact information.

- Type: Your response plan should describe the sorts of activities that constitute an information security incident. Include incidents such as your website being down for more than a specified length of time or evidence of information theft.

 

Know Your Notification Obligations

 

Be aware that many states and countries have notification laws that require businesses to alert customers if there is a chance their information was stolen, disclosed, or otherwise lost. Familiarise yourself with international, state, and local laws regarding notification obligations and include that information in your response plan.

 

Likewise include suggestions on when to notify appropriate authorities. You should contact your local police to file a report when there's a possibility that any personal information, intellectual property, or other sensitive information was forged. Most importantly, you and your employees should understand your role in your cybersecurity response plan. Develop procedures for each job role that describe exactly what the employee is required to do if there is a cybersecurity incident. When everyone understands their role in your response plan, you can act fast and mitigate the potential damage.

 

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