Cyber incidents are no longer a matter of “if” but “when.” With businesses increasingly relying on technology for critical operations, a data breach, ransomware attack, or phishing attempt can occur at any time. However, what’s more important than the incident itself is how businesses respond to it. Unfortunately, many organizations make critical mistakes when handling cyber incidents, which can exacerbate the situation, damage their reputation, and cost them significantly.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, we’ve outlined the most common mistakes businesses make when responding to cyber incidents—and how you can address them effectively.
1. Underestimating the Incident’s Severity
One of the most frequent errors businesses make is downplaying the significance of a cyber incident. Many assume it’s a small issue or believe it only affects a minor portion of their operations. But cyberattacks often exploit these assumptions to cause further damage.
What to do instead:
- Take every incident seriously, even if it seems minor.
- Conduct a thorough assessment of the situation to understand the scope and potential impact.
- Have an incident response team in place to promptly evaluate and classify the level of the threat.
2. Not Having a Response Plan in Place
A cyber incident isn’t the time to figure things out as you go. Without a predefined incident response plan, teams may act reactively or inconsistently, increasing confusion and delay.
What to do instead:
- Develop a comprehensive incident response plan (IRP) outlining the roles, responsibilities, and steps to manage a breach.
- Ensure every team member knows what to do by conducting regular training and scenario practices.
- Include contact details for external professionals like forensic investigators and legal counsel within your IRP.
3. Delayed Response
Time is critical when dealing with cyber incidents. Delay in responding to an attack—whether due to indecision, lack of awareness, or confusion—can give attackers more time to cause damage or steal sensitive data.
What to do instead:
- Leverage tools such as cybersecurity monitoring software to detect and respond to threats quickly.
- Automate certain responses, such as isolating affected systems, to minimize damage during the initial stages of an attack.
4. Failing to Communicate Transparently
A lack of clear communication—both internally and externally—is a major error during cyber incidents. Employees may be left unsure of what actions to take, customers may lose trust, and stakeholders may feel alienated if they’re kept in the dark.
What to do instead:
- Establish a communication protocol for internal teams and external parties, including stakeholders, regulators, and affected customers.
- Be transparent but cautious in public statements, ensuring that no sensitive information is revealed while maintaining public trust.
5. Ignoring Legal and Regulatory Requirements
Cybersecurity laws and regulations vary by region and industry. Ignoring these requirements, such as failing to notify authorities or affected individuals in a timely manner, can lead to additional fines and legal complications.
What to do instead:
- Stay informed about compliance regulations, such as GDPR, CCPA, or industry-specific mandates like HIPAA.
- Ensure your response plan addresses regulatory notification timelines and templates.
- Consult a legal team familiar with cybersecurity policies when preparing or updating your response plan.
6. Focusing Solely on Containment
While containment is critical in the immediate aftermath of a cyber incident, many businesses stop here and fail to investigate the root cause. This leaves them vulnerable to repeat attacks from the same threat vector.
What to do instead:
- After containment, conduct a comprehensive forensic investigation to identify how the breach occurred.
- Use this information to patch vulnerabilities and strengthen defenses.
7. Blaming Employees or Other Parties
Pointing fingers at employees, IT teams, or third-party vendors during a cyber incident may seem like a natural reaction. However, this can create a toxic environment and damage future collaborations.
What to do instead:
- Create a culture of learning, not blame, where incidents are seen as opportunities to improve rather than as grounds for punishment.
- Focus on identifying systemic gaps rather than individual mistakes.
8. Overlooking Post-Incident Reviews
Many businesses fail to conduct a post-mortem analysis after resolving a cyber incident. This prevents them from fully understanding what went wrong and how to strengthen their response in the future.
What to do instead:
- Schedule a post-incident review to analyze the effectiveness of your response and identify areas of improvement.
- Update your incident response plan based on the findings, ensuring your team is better prepared for next time.
9. Neglecting to Educate Employees Regularly
Humans are often the weakest link in cybersecurity. Yet many businesses fail to provide ongoing training or implement preventive measures like phishing simulations.
What to do instead:
- Conduct regular training sessions on recognizing and responding to cyber threats.
- Use phishing tests to educate employees on how to spot suspicious emails or links.
10. Failing to Leverage External Expertise
Attempting to manage a sophisticated cyberattack without external help can lead to months of downtime, lost revenues, and worse.
What to do instead:
- Bring in third-party experts, such as cybersecurity consultants or forensic analysts, to provide specialized insights and guidance during an incident.
- Partner with an incident response service for ongoing preparedness and support.
Wrapping Up
Responding to cyber incidents isn’t just about mitigating the technical issue—it’s about protecting your business’s reputation, operations, and future. Avoiding these common mistakes can help ensure a better outcome when the inevitable occurs.