Compete security service: the emergency plan

Despite all preventive security measures, there is always the possibility that your SME may be caught off guard by a cyber attack. Indeed, SMEs are an attractive target for cyber criminals. On the one hand, because they expect cyber security to be less in order and, on the other, because you are often allowance supplier to larger organisations, which they actually want to thwart.

A cyber attack can take many forms; an employee receives a phishing mail and accidentally clicks on an infected link or cyber criminals find an opening in the network. In the contingency plan, we describe what you should do in such a case and what security service you can expect from us. The contingency plan consists of a few simple steps, which you will find below.

The Emergency Plan: what to do in the event of a cyber attack

Stay calm

The most important thing is to stay calm when you suspect or know for sure that you have been the victim of a cyber attack. Panicking can only increase the damage and cause evidence to be lost.

Contact your IT partner

The most important step after that is to contact us. Call our support department immediately so we can get our security services up and running right away. Our staff will tell you what to do to keep other devices in your network safe and evidence secure.

Because we use high-end security service software, we receive notification when threats have surfaced within your network. In such a case, we immediately get to work and contact you*.

Secure evidence

Have you received a message from cybercriminals, for example in the form of a pop-up? If so, take a photo or screenshot of it. Also make a note of the date and time of the message. The more details you have, the faster we can solve it. This is also important when you file a police report.

Wait for our instructions

Always wait for our instructions. Under no circumstances take action yourself to prevent further damage. Also, do not disconnect the device from the internet; as this will disconnect us from the device and make it impossible for us to watch it remotely.

In the event of a cyber-attack, we immediately pull out all the stops and take over the affected device. We run a software that checks where the problem is located and which programmes and files have been infected. After this, appropriate measures can be taken and we indicate which actions you need to carry out.

Adjust passwords

After an attack, it is wise to be on the safe side. Even if we have remedied the attack and implemented the necessary measures, it is advisable to adjust passwords. Use a password manager for this, if necessary, so that you can use stronger passwords.

Report the incident to authorities

If your company has been the victim of a cyber attack, in some cases it is necessary to report it to various authorities. We advise you on which agencies to notify after a cyber-attack and what details to provide.

For instance, we recommend always reporting to the police in any case. This allows them to collect all the data and perhaps track down a larger network of cyber criminals. If personal data has been leaked, you are obliged to report it to the Personal Data Authority.

*This depends on which security service package you purchase from us.

Security service

The advantage of having an IT partner, such as Compete, on hand is that they offer a security service and are immediately ready to help you in emergencies. We know what to do to limit the damage and can act immediately. Because we offer a high-end security service package, we get notified when a cyber-attack has been detected in your network and sometimes we are informed before you are. Which way we find out about the attack does not matter. We make sure your business is back up and running as soon as possible.

Want to know more about our cyber security measures? Check them out here or contact us with no obligation.