Your organization has been hacked. What’s the best way to prevent it from happening again?

A cyberattack can be a devastating blow to your organization, exposing sensitive data, disrupting operations, and damaging your reputation. You may feel overwhelmed and frustrated, but you can take steps to recover and prevent future incidents. Here are some tips to help you secure your network and protect your assets.

1 Assess the damage

The first thing you need to do after a breach is to assess the damage and scope of the attack. You should identify what systems, data, and users were compromised, how the hackers gained access, and what they did with your information. You should also document the incident and report it to the relevant authorities and stakeholders. This will help you understand the impact and severity of the breach, as well as the legal and regulatory implications.

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Francesco Madia, CISSP

CyberSecurity Support Manager | CISSP, Customer Success, Network Engineering
If the organization suffered an attack, the best way is to assess and learn from the mistakes. Start by assessing the damage, understand what caused the issue, then contain the issue and eradicate it. SIM Solutions will play a big part in successfully detecting future threats but it's important that the security team is trained and well aware of how to properly monitor the network and find anomalies. RCA is important to fill the gaps that caused the breach, run a risk/cost analysis and understand whether implementing a new solution is worth to eliminate or mitigate the risk. Lastly, training and educating users is a crucial item.
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Ritwiz Singh

Chief Executive Officer at RITWIZ
Cyber attacks can be prevented by being aware of the various types of protocols, exploits, tools, and resources used by malicious actors. In addition, knowing where and how to expect attacks ensure you're creating preventative measures to protect your systems. To keep your business safe: Updating security operating systems and software applications. Backing up data regularly. Using multi-factor authentication on important accounts. Assessing who can access your business data. Using passphrases to protect your account. To keep you safe: Ensure Your system is Up-to-date. Use a Secure Internet Connection. Use Strong Password. Be Aware of Pop-ups and Fraudulent Emails. Protect yourself from identity threats. Manage Your Social Media Settings.
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Dionizio Alexandre do Carmo Lima Camanho

Advanced Application Engineer | Cyber Threat Intelligence | Endpoint Security | MSc in Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence | ITIL V4
After a breach, conduct a deep analysis to understand the incident. Prioritize security by applying regular updates, enforcing measures like strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and implementing continuous monitoring for suspicious activities. Train employees to cybersecurity awareness, segment networks for better control, and regular data backups. Strengthen access controls, establish an agile incident response team, and assess the security of third-party entities. Adhere to industry-specific regulations, conduct periodic security audits, and develop a business continuity plan for recovery. Foster transparent communication with stakeholders and maintain a continuous improvement approach to enhance overall security measures.
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2 Contain and eradicate the threat

The next step is to contain and eradicate the threat from your network. You should isolate the affected systems, devices, and accounts, and disconnect them from the internet and other networks. You should also scan your network for any signs of malware, backdoors, or unauthorized activity, and remove them as soon as possible. You should also change all passwords, revoke access rights, and update security patches and software. This will help you prevent further damage and restore normal operations.

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Oliver Pinson-Roxburgh

Cyber security CEO | Click follow to get weekly security updates | helping businesses of all size improve security.
Quick Tips: Isolating the Infected • Immediately disconnect compromised systems, devices, and accounts from the network and internet. • Consider segmenting your network to prevent lateral movement of the attacker. Stopping the Spread: • Disable compromised user accounts and revoke access privileges. • Analyze network logs and traffic for suspicious activity to identify attack pathways. Eradicating the Malware: • Quarantine infected devices and perform deep scans to identify and remove malicious files. • If necessary, consider wiping and reinstalling operating systems on severely compromised systems.
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3 Implement SIM solutions

One of the best ways to prevent future attacks is to implement security information management (SIM) solutions. SIM solutions are tools that collect, analyze, and report on security data from your network, such as logs, events, alerts, and incidents. They help you monitor your network activity, detect anomalies, and respond to threats in real time. They also help you comply with security standards and regulations, and improve your security posture and performance. SIM solutions can help you identify and mitigate vulnerabilities, prevent data loss, and enhance your network visibility and control.

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4 Educate and train your staff

Another key factor in preventing cyberattacks is to educate and train your staff on network security best practices. You should create and enforce a security policy that defines the roles, responsibilities, and rules for your staff regarding network access, data protection, and incident response. You should also provide regular training and awareness sessions on how to recognize and avoid common cyber threats, such as phishing, ransomware, and social engineering. You should also test your staff's knowledge and skills, and reward good behavior and report bad behavior.

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5 Review and improve your security plan

The final step is to review and improve your security plan based on the lessons learned from the breach. You should conduct a thorough post-mortem analysis of the incident, and identify the root causes, the gaps, and the opportunities for improvement. You should also update your security policies, procedures, and tools, and implement new measures and safeguards to address the weaknesses and risks. You should also conduct regular audits and tests of your security systems, and measure and report on your security metrics and goals.

Your organization has been hacked, but you can bounce back and prevent it from happening again. By following these tips, you can secure your network and protect your assets from cyber threats.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Your organization has been hacked. What’s the best way to prevent it from happening again?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess the damage

2 Contain and eradicate the threat

3 Implement SIM solutions

4 Educate and train your staff

5 Review and improve your security plan

6 Here’s what else to consider

Network Security

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Your organization has been hacked. What’s the best way to prevent it from happening again?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess the damage

2 Contain and eradicate the threat

3 Implement SIM solutions

4 Educate and train your staff

5 Review and improve your security plan

6 Here’s what else to consider

Network Security

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