Consider these data breach response best practices.
Data Breach Response Best Practices
Companies may maintain business, consumers, and influence brand impression in the market by following these best practices for a data breach response plan.
1. Prepare with a Data Breach Response Plan.
A Data Breach Response Plan is a plan that prepares a company to deal with an event when data is in compromise.
2. Assess the severity of the breach.
A Data Breach Response Plan should have a design or plan; to determine what actions to take when a data breach occurs.
3. Notify consumers of the breach.
If the breach is material, meaning that it is likely to harm an individual’s financial condition, health, or safety; the company should comply by law to notify individuals, in writing, about the breach.
The notification must include details on how individuals can protect themselves from identity theft and continue to protect against harm for themselves and their family members.
4. Monitor consumers for harm caused by the breach.
Do not forget to monitor consumers for harm caused by the breach. The company has to notify consumers in writing about any specific information that is reasonable. Perhaps affected by the breach.
The notice must include the date of the breach, the type of information involved, and recommendations for consumers on how to protect themselves from identity theft or other harm.
5. Have a communication strategy in informing your customers.
You should have a communication strategy in place so that you can provide information to your customers quickly and easily.
If the breach is material, the company must also notify the individuals in writing of steps they can take to protect themselves from identity theft or other harm that may result from the breach.
The notification must include details on how individuals can protect themselves from identity theft and continue to protect against harm for themselves and their family members.
6. Keep track of all data breach notifications to consumers.
The company needs to comply by law to maintain a record of all data breach notifications it provides to consumers for at least 5 years.
Security Incident Response Teams (IRTs)
Security Incident Response Teams (IRTs) are the centralized response mechanism for security incidents. An IRT typically includes security professionals who specialize in incident handling, forensic analysis, risk assessment, and remediation, as well as security architects and engineers.
IRTs are often as a support function to an organization’s overall response plan. In some cases, IRTs are useful as the main response mechanism. This approach has also been criticized as being too centralized; as it can result in a delay of response from a single group of security professionals who may not be as familiar with an affected organization’s environment and risk profile.
Security Operations Centers (SOCs)
Many organizations also utilize Security Operations Centers (SOCs) to respond to security incidents. SOCs are staffed by security professionals 24x7x365, who are tasked with monitoring, investigating, analyzing, and responding to security incidents. SOCs typically have direct access to the latest security tools, technologies, and expertise required to investigate and resolve an incident.
The benefits of using a SOC include rapid response time, the ability to conduct sophisticated analyses on running systems, and the ability to coordinate with internal groups that may be involved in incident response, such as network operations or legal.
