• Friday, August 18, 2023

Handling a cyber event is a crucial process aimed at protecting information systems and users from cyber attacks, identifying and responding to attacks that have already occurred, and reconstructing the activity to learn from the event and prevent similar incidents in the future. Here are some key steps for handling a cyber event:

  1. Detection and Identification: Identify critical details of the event, such as affected systems, potential attackers, and methods of attack. This is a crucial step to understand the implications and respond accordingly.
  2. Isolation and Containment: Once the event is detected, it's important to isolate the compromised systems and prevent the spread of the attack to other systems. This might involve shutting down systems, disconnecting computers from the network, or even physically disconnecting devices.
  3. Diagnosis and Analysis: Diagnose and analyze the attack to understand the entry point, stolen or compromised data, and potential damage. In-depth analysis can provide a broader understanding of the attack vectors and connections to similar incidents.
  4. Password Reset and Access Blocking: In cases where personal information or access credentials are stolen, it's important to reset passwords and block access for compromised users or entities.
  5. Remediation and Recovery: Recover the affected data and systems to their normal state. This includes restoring data from backups, fixing compromised system components, and restoring normal operations.
  6. Implementing Protective Measures: After the incident is handled, enhance security measures to prevent similar attacks. This might involve software updates, firewall adjustments, permission settings, and the implementation of additional security measures.
  7. Learning and Improvement: After handling the event, analyze the incident and apply the lessons learned. Improvements could include enhancing measures to prevent similar incidents, strengthening organizational security, and training the security team.
  8. Reporting and Collaboration: It's important to report the incident to relevant authorities, including cybersecurity agencies, software vendors, and peer organizations. This enables sharing feedback and receiving assistance from experts.
  9. Regulations and Future Preparedness: After handling a cyber event, establish regulations in systems and security gaps that were identified, and adapt organizational plans to be prepared for future cyber incidents.

Handling a cyber event is a complex process that requires careful planning, dedicated teams, and sustained effort. Ensuring thorough response actions and learning from each event is essential to maintaining organizational cybersecurity.

Written by Ahmad Abu Assab, Cybersecurity Specialist and CEO at Fast Hive Technologies.