Companies are 67 percent more likely to fall victim to cybercriminals than to physical theft, according to Rubrik's latest Zero Labs Report. According to the report, almost every German company experienced a hacker attack in 2023. IT managers received an average of almost sixty reports of malicious incidents.
Despite the many incidents in companies, a survey showed that one fifth of those surveyed said that they would not know how to react in the event of an attack. The good news? If everyone prepares for the worst case scenario, the chance of surviving a cyber attack without major damage increases. With these 6 tips, you can protect your data from loss and cyber attacks and prepare for the worst case scenario.
Secure hybrid environments and find out about requirements
Complex IT landscapes are a popular target: 94 percent of global companies that use hybrid cloud models were attacked every month last year. But hackers are just as competent when it comes to software-as-a-service (SaaS) and on-premises. That's why you should focus on getting an overview of all aspects of your company's hybrid systems. The Rubrik Zero Labs Report also emphasizes that there is often a lack of a strategic overview of compliance regulations. Only if you know the legal requirements for certain data elements can you react appropriately in an emergency. Also, prepare for the fact that management will need to be informed more and show whether and how investments in IT security are achieving the expected results.
Increase data visibility
To effectively prevent data loss, you first need a complete overview of your sensitive data. Where is it located, how is it stored and who has access to it? Keep an eye not only on data that is at risk, but also on what else would be affected by an attack on the systems. Have your IT security team continuously monitor the company's own data. This way, they can quickly and accurately assess risks and eliminate threats before they have an impact.
Protection of sensitive data
Proper authentication and access controls prevent cybercriminals from exploiting vulnerabilities in systems. So identify your most valuable data - and protect it with appropriate security measures. A zero-trust database security architecture gives you the peace of mind that you are protected from insider threats and ransomware, preventing this information from falling into the wrong hands.
Updating security policies
Are the existing security policies still up to date? It is important to review them at regular intervals. Threat situations are constantly changing because cyber criminals are constantly identifying new vulnerabilities and adapting their tactics. When creating a new security policy and also when updating it, take the specific requirements of your organization into account and ensure that all employees are informed about the latest best practices in data security. Training also increases awareness of security aspects, so this should be offered routinely.
Prepare for emergencies
The next cyberattack is bound to happen and it is not always possible to prevent it from being successful. Ransomware attacks in particular are common and can have devastating effects. Therefore, preparation is everything. Make sure your backups are complete, immutable and available during an attack. You should also automate the recovery process as much as possible and test the results of the recovery in your hybrid environment. This will allow critical data and systems to be reliably restored in an emergency without reintroducing the malware. Also use existing security services and technologies to check the immutability and integration of backup technologies. Choose solutions that allow granular recovery and seamless management in different cloud environments.
Communicate proactively
In the event of a successful cyberattack, it is all about restoring trust both internally and externally. Inform your managers regularly about your measures and the results they achieve. You should prepare joint instructions in advance and carry out regular exercises so that everyone is prepared for a crisis. Make sure that all teams have the same level of information and are pulling together. With a prepared communication chain, decisions can be made quickly within the company - a key point in limiting damage in an emergency.
Conclusion: Preparation is half the solution
If you know what to do in a crisis, you keep a cool head. This is an invaluable asset when it comes to limiting damage. Companies that are prepared for an emergency have the chance not only to survive the hacker attack, but also to protect their reputation. And some even emerge stronger from it.
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About rubric Rubrik is a global cybersecurity provider and pioneer of Zero Trust Data Security™. Organizations around the world rely on Rubrik to ensure their business continuity and protection from cyberattacks and malicious insiders. The Rubrik Security Cloud solution secures data regardless of where it is actually located: on-premises, in the cloud or in a SaaS application.