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Get Ahead of Trouble: Disaster Response and Cybersecurity Incident Response Plans
By David Stidham, Operations Manager at Cenetric
It would be fantastic if everyone’s business could operate without issue or incident every day, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately, trouble could be around any corner, and we all have to be prepared.
From natural disasters to theft to cyberattacks, the list of things that could go wrong is long. But having the proper plans and documentation can keep your doors open if trouble comes your way. But SMB owners are often confused about the different types of plans they should have in place.
Business continuity plan
This is a written plan that does just what it says: lays out how your business will proceed if it’s disrupted for any reason. That could be anything from a global pandemic to a tornado to an office break-in.
A proper business continuity plan starts with a business impact analysis to understand what your business would have to deal with. Then it should cover the steps to keep your business operational and what to prioritize. Finally, all employees should be trained on their role and it should be regularly practiced to ensure everyone understands what to do.
Disaster response plan
This is a vital part of your business continuity plan that outlines how to specifically address and recover from a disaster beyond remaining operational. While you should have one for your business in general to cover something like theft or a power outage, we’re going to discuss your IT disaster recovery plan in particular.
For instance, what if your company’s on-premises servers are damaged in a flood? What steps do you take to recover the data? (By creating a business continuity plan, you would have already established how data is backed up to stay operational.)
What if your internet goes down and your team can’t perform crucial functions, like processing customer payments? How will you get back online quickly? By planning ahead, you’ll save valuable time and energy during a disaster because you’ll know just what to do.
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Cybersecurity incident response plan
This is an even more specific type of disaster response plan. Absolutely every business should know how to address a cyber incident like a data breach. Breaches are incredibly common now, and no business is immune.
In fact, 2024 Identity Theft Resource Center data showed that 81% of small businesses had suffered a data breach or a security breach in the previous 12 months — and 39% had been victims of both. It’s not IF, but WHEN, you’ll see an incident of your own.
The first step in any plan should be to contact your cyber insurance provider. They will direct you to the best actions for the situation — ones that fall within your policy’s terms. If you don’t have cyber insurance, get it immediately. Make sure it has both first-party coverage (for damage directly to your company) and third-party coverage (damage to others caused by your incident).
Your plan should also include measures you implement before anything occurs to help your employees keep working as you take steps to recover from the incident.
For example, your cybersecurity incident response plan should include setting up a secure Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policy so your team can safely work from their own devices if they can’t use company-issued technology. It should also have procedures for changing passwords to more secure ones if a cyber incident occurs.
Plan ahead to stay protected, productive — and in business
Some businesses never recover after a disaster or incident. Make sure you’re not one of them by taking time to create each of these plans, train your team on them, and review and practice their execution regularly.
In many industries, they aren’t optional. For example, regulations in the financial services and health care industries require organizations to have them in place. In these cases, it’s not just about preparation, it’s about compliance and avoiding potential fines.
If this all feels like a bit much, don’t worry — Cenetric experts are well-versed in getting growing businesses on top of requirements and best practices for preparedness. If you need guidance in Kansas City (or anywhere else in the United States), we’re here for you. Tell us about your challenges and we’ll be in touch to get started right away.