As companies continue to move towards greater digital transformation and reap the numerous benefits of doing so, there is one concern felt by many business owners and executives - the impending threat of an IT disaster. With both data storage and productivity solutions being dependent upon web connectivity, a proverbial (and literal) pull of the plug can halt business continuity in a heartbeat. Thinking ahead, organizations are asking what they can do when an IT disaster occurs. Today, we’ll answer that.
5 Tips to Faster Recovery After Sustaining a Cyberattack or Other Major Disruption to IT Systems
Establish an IT Disaster Recovery Plan Before It Happens
Prevention is the best medicine.
The best way for a household to quickly recover from an earthquake or other natural disaster is to have an emergency preparedness kit in the home. Similarly, to recover from an IT disaster, be it a cyberattack, internal sabotage, or natural catastrophe is to actually have an IT disaster recovery plan in place beforehand. What should this plan look like?
The first step is to establish a robust program for both data backup and recovery, which are two different things (more on this in item #2 below). Think of data backup as “making copies”, while the data recovery concept encompasses a set of policies and procedures for IT infrastructure that supports the critical functions of your organization. While you may already have increased company-wide adoption of the cloud, you will want to consider cloud-to-cloud backup for an added layer of business continuity protection. In addition, identify which IT systems are mission-critical to your company. This will help you create a predefined order of recovery, complete with a hierarchical communication process so that the right people are informed at the right time. Furthermore, ensure that critical personnel can be reached around the clock as cyberattacks can strike at any time. View more from our guide on how your business can build an IT disaster recovery plan.
Subscribe to a Business Continuity and Data Recovery (BCDR) Solution
This also falls in line with your prevention plan and applies directly to data recovery. You need to invest in a business continuity and data recovery (BCDR) software solution that:
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has a record of zero cloud data loss,
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helps you identify what files have gone missing after an event,
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offers cloud-to-cloud backup (as per item #1 above),
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and is scalable for businesses of all sizes - including yours.
These features can all be found with one trusted backup and disaster recovery solution - Datto.
File Your Compliance Reports As Soon As Possible
By now you know about the EU’s adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and, for Canadian businesses, the recent update to Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). The long and short of it is that reporting an IT disaster is now equally as important as business continuity. The penalties from not abiding by compliance law can be just as damaging to operations as an IT disaster. Study the updated PIPEDA compliance law and GDPR along with U.S. state-by-state legislature (as applicable) and devise a reporting procedure to follow an IT disaster.
Get Further Ahead of It
Beyond the call to follow compliance laws, do the right thing by reaching out to your customers and the public if their data hasn’t been directly compromised by the cyberattack or event.
Often the most damaging part of an IT disaster can come from public outcry and bad press. Reporting the event isn’t easy for any brand, but the blowback from a cover-up, or not reporting that you’ve had a breach soon enough can be more damaging than the actual event itself. Get ahead of the press and keep all invested parties informed via a press release or other appropriate channels. If possible, let the public know what you have done to rectify the situation, and what steps you have taken to prevent such a disruption from happening again.
Already Happened? Get Immediate Support from an IT Disaster Recovery Expert
Since you’re searching for information about how to recover from a cyberattack or an IT disaster, there’s a good chance that an event has already occurred. Without the above protocol already in place, you have an uphill climb ahead of you. Don’t go it alone. Get in touch with an IT support firm with direct experience in IT disaster prevention and recovery. Even after the event, they can audit your systems to determine what data can be recovered, identify other vulnerabilities, and prescribe security solutions to prevent another disruption. They will help you establish an airtight business continuity plan that will secure your operations.
Contact Fully Managed today whether you have recently sustained an IT disaster or are ready to prevent it from happening. We’re here to give you peace of mind.