Steps to Take After a Malware Attack

Your company is like your baby. You’ve put a great deal of time and energy into building up to something that makes you proud. Your family, your employees, and your clients depend on you to deliver a valuable service. The last thing you want is a malware attack. When your business is the victim of cyber predators, it can shake you. You worry that you may never be able to restore the integrity of your computer system. Your image could be shattered in the eyes of others. A cyber attack could give your competitors an edge. Before you panic, pay attention to these 5 steps to take after a malware attack.

Target a Device that Has Been Compromised

Regardless of the size of your business, you are likely to have several employees that are using your company’s network every day. A malware attack, otherwise known as ransomware, may only hit one device. Educate all of your staff to understand that device needs to be cut off immediately from the rest of your network. Your mission is to stop a pervasive spread of a costly cyber threat. If your lucky, you may be able to reinforce your security on the rest of your system, take advantage of your automatic backup, and set your employee up with a new device. There may be no need to ever acknowledge your attacker.

Bring in Your IT Experts to Diagnose the Degree of Your Attack

The next step is to contact the head of your IT department for a thorough analysis of your company’s network. Experts providing IT managed services in Toronto know the ins and outs of cyberattacks. In some cases, your breach may be a minor threat that can be handled easily. If the damages are extensive, your competent IT staff will be able to steer you in the right direction away from dangerous waters.

Research the Source of the Attack

In the same way that you look for the cause of an illness or injury, you’ll need to identify your attacker. Cybercriminals will generally use emails to lure in unsuspecting victims. They are talented at making their messages look like copies of trusted sources. They will often say there has been a threat or a problem with a delivery. They’ll recommend following a link in order to resolve the problem. Simply clicking on the link could be enough to cause harm to your system. The cyber attacker will provide information to deliver a ransom in order to provide access to your data again. All of this information, from the email that started the trouble to requests for payment, can provide you with ammunition to go after cyber predators.

Hold a Conference with Your Employees

Do not play the blame game when you have fallen prey to a malware attack. Mistakes happen. You could be the one who opens the door to an Internet invader the next time. Sit down with your staff to discuss what happened, why it happened, and how you can avoid it in the future. Bring in your IT management to help you explain the situation. Keep the lines of communication open. You want to encourage your staff to ask questions. Show them examples of malware to illustrate what they can expect.

Advise the Authorities About Your Attack

Your malware attack matters to powers at a federal level. You should report your attack to the United States Secret Service, the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Center for Internet Security. Your business may be small in the grand scheme of things, but a threat to one American company may be a threat to all. Reporting your situation to federal agencies can offer you more resources. It may also protect others from having a similar attack happen to them.

It may feel like the end of the world after a malware attack. The most important thing you can do is act swiftly. Work with your customers and any other companies that are connected to your network to keep them informed. Find security software that can help your systems to become a fortress, keeping other cyber attackers at bay. Working together offers you the best chance at successfully restoring your company’s data. 

By Anurag Rathod

Anurag Rathod is an Editor of Appclonescript.com, who is passionate for app-based startup solutions and on-demand business ideas. He believes in spreading tech trends. He is an avid reader and loves thinking out of the box to promote new technologies.