What if my business gets hacked?
January 25, 2012 – 1:27 pmWhat do you do if you own a business and your computer system gets hacked? Panic? Hardly. But you do need to take swift action.
Cybercriminals are targeting small businesses more and more to steal information like passwords, which can lead to bank account balances and credit lines, customer information and sensitive product details. Hackers are even virtually hijacking company computers or websites and using them to attack others online. Small businesses are extra-attractive to these criminals because they know small business owners often lack the security expertise, data protections and response tools to prevent it from happening and to deal with it if it does.
Criminal data breaches cost business victims an average of $318 per compromised record in 2010. Having a security recovery plan can not only save you money but can make things a lot less painful.
First of all, get a clear picture of what happened, including how the hackers got in, which computers and accounts were compromised what data was stolen or accessed, and determine if your customers were affected.
You should communicate quickly and honestly with employers, customers and partners, about what has happened, and what you are doing to fix the problem. You should also tell them what they need to do if anything. Being communicative will go a long way in maintaining your customer and business relationships, as well as protecting your business’ reputation.
The next thing you’ll want to do is to fix the problem. Consider reformatting hacked computers and restoring data with clean backups, or you may need to shut down your website while you clean up. Secure your accounts with new, complex passwords.
You’re also going to want to take a hard look at your security plan and make sure it is working. If there are holes, fix them as soon as possible.
Another thing you may wish to consider is the data breach protection offered by LifeLock. It can be invaluable. Go online today at www.lifelock.com.
Tags: business hacking, Data Breaches, identity theft, LifeLock, virtual hijacking
