Risk Management 101: Help! We’ve been compromised

But, wait we umm.. never finished our Cyber Security Strategy… because you know {insert shiny item here} happened so we lost our focus. What do we do now??

The headline above is your worst nightmare. Believe me, this is an IT Department’s worst nightmare as well. There is nothing in this industry that will floor you or put you into panic mode faster than the realization that your data, your network or your customers’ data has been compromised. In addition, there may be no strategy in place to deal with the security incident. While we all “hope” it doesn’t happen to us, inevitably it will in some form or fashion given enough time. In these instances, it is very difficult to figure out where to start or even how to start. The question often asked is, “What do we do now?”

1. Cooler Heads Prevail

While it is human nature to go into panic mode whilst throwing your paperwork and computer from your desk in anger, often emotions and personnel instability make matters worse. Take a step back. Take a breath. Gather your thoughts and do your best in a terrible situation. Remember, the person next to you feels the same way, so make sure you are a supportive member of the team and not a destructive force instead. Your business and your team members will thank you later.

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