TECH TALK which can be built upon with specific details around an incident, can speed up the distribution of communications statements. This not only keeps customers and stakeholders updated but it also helps prevent harmful speculation which can damage an organisation’ s reputation.

8. Run backups – following the 3-2-1-1-0 rule

Follow the modern 3-2-1-1-0 backup strategy: keep 3 total copies of your data, stored on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy stored offsite or offline, 1 immutable or air-gapped copy and then test the backups to ensure 0 errors after recovery.

This dramatically increases resilience against data loss, corruption and ransomware.

Testing backups is as important as running them, because this is the only way to confirm organisations can rely on them when things go wrong.

Ransomware attackers will typically go after backup services to put them in a more powerful position when demanding payment, so ensuring organisations have offline backups, that are regularly tested, is vital in safeguarding recovery.

9. Understand regulatory notification requirements

Regulators across varying regions have specific reporting requirements on personal data breaches and cyberattacks. Understanding these regulations and being vigilant of reporting timelines for the jurisdictions a business operates in is essential in helping avoid fines.

10. Adopt technical controls to support response, mitigation and forensics

Strong technical controls are essential not only for preventing breaches but also for responding to them.

Network segmentation, endpoint detection and forensic logging enable teams to isolate affected systems, limit the spread of malware and investigate what happened, which helps support immediate action and long-term improvements.

In today’ s highly-connected digital world, it’ s no longer solely about preventing cyberattacks. It is equally important to prepare for them, as this offers an effective way to lessen damages and safeguard recovery efforts.

This means having incident response plans in place is essential, but organisations must also physically test the effectiveness of their plans, ensuring they provide a rehearsed blueprint to reinstate operations successfully, helping avoid long-lasting damage in the aftermath of attacks. �

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