Tag: Data Breach

The Five Key Steps To Take After A Security Breach

On May 8, 2017

8th May 2017

Every business firm implements stringent security policies to mitigate the risk of a data breach. However, as hackers are becoming more sophisticated in the use of advanced tools and technologies, ensuring complete security against an attack may not be possible. It is important that you formulate an incident response plan that specifies what needs to be done in the event of a data breach in order to minimize its impact on the business operations.

Listed below are the five key steps that you need to take if your organization witnesses a security breach:

Conduct Complete Investigation

Clear thinking and immediate action is important to deal with a security breach in an efficient manner. Analyze when the attack occurred, how the hackers got access to the network, which systems have been compromised as well as what information has been leaked. This will give you an idea about the steps required to reduce the impact of the incident.

Ensure Containment

All the potential causes of the security breach should be controlled with immediate effect. Install software updates and patches to make sure your network does not remain vulnerable for a long period. Change the password for all the compromised accounts as well as those that use the same log in credentials. Restrict the infected computer systems from accessing the corporate network.

Communication

There should be constant communication between the company management and incident response team. Providing frequent updates to the customers, regulatory authorities or third party investigation agencies may also be necessary, depending upon the extent and nature of the data breach. In order to avoid any delays or miscommunication, lay out a specified medium through which information should be conveyed.

Implement And Test The Security Fix

Once the vulnerability has been identified and fixed, you must ensure that you have completely recovered from the breach. The IT security team should review the server logs and network traffic. You can also consider executing a penetration test to identify any unpatched security flaws.

Prevention Of Future Breaches

Lastly, you should thoroughly audit your data security practices to determine if there is a scope for improvement. Provide training to your employees on the best practices to keep their official accounts and data safe. Regularly re-evaluate your security policies to identify any modifications or additions required to stay protected against attacks.

We, at Centex Technologies, can help you prevent deal with a security breach and minimize its impact on your business. For more information, you can call us at (855) 375 – 9654.

What Is Data Breach And How To Prevent It

By centexitguy

On August 31, 2015

In Security

August 31, 2015

A data breach can be defined as an unauthorized access, viewing and retrieval of a database, application or program. The attack is carried out to steal, manipulate or use information for malicious purposes. Data breaches are usually targeted towards large organizations and businesses to steal sensitive, confidential or patented information.

A data breach typically takes place in the following stages:

Research: After deciding on a target, the cyber criminals look for network security flaws that can be exploited. This involves researching about the kind of infrastructure a company has.
Attack: When the weaknesses have been identified, the hacker initiates a data breach either as a social attack or a network based attack. In the former one, social engineering methods are used to jeopardize the target’s network. This may include spam emails, malware infected IM attachments, installing programs with malicious code etc. A network based attack, on the other hand, is when the cyber criminals use vulnerability exploitation, SQL injection or session hijacking to access the network on which the target computer is operating.
Exfiltration: Once the attack is successful, the hacker can easily take out the important data and transfer it into another system. This data may either be used for spiteful purposes or to carry out another attack.

Tips To Prevent Data Breach

Be Careful With Passwords: Make sure you do not store passwords for any website or servers. You should also avoid using same passwords for any two accounts. Also, consider using two-factor authentication for all accounts that contain sensitive business information. Thus, you will require a password along with a personal authentication method, such as OTP or biometric scan to access the account.
Use Data Encryption: You must mandate encryption of all personal or official information that is transmitted over the organization’s internet network. The IT staff should be directed to encrypt all software and hardware at all times, including the devices issued to the employees.
Outsource Payment Processing: In order to safeguard your customers’ financial data, you should consider outsourcing your payment processing system. Whether it is for point-of-sale or online banking, hiring a credible PCI complaint dealer will ensure better and dedicated protection of the data.
Educate Employees: You must implement and let the employees know about the data security policy of the organization. Restrict the usage of computer only for official purposes and confine access to unsuitable websites. You must also educate the employees about their responsibilities with regard to protecting and maintaining confidentiality of any information.

We, at Centex Technologies, provide complete data security solutions to the businesses in Central Texas. For more information, you can call us at (855) 375 – 9654.