How to prepare for and address a cyberattack

A good incident response plan should dovetail with the cyber policy, meaning the response plan should list the “pre-approved” providers that can be used during any breach response effort. (Credit: Shutterstock)

As of late, an unfortunate reality is that it’s no longer “if” a cyber incident will occur, but a matter of “when.”

A survey of information technology professionals conducted by cybersecurity company Kaspersky found 91 percent of their companies have been affected by attacks in the last year, while 45 percent admit they’re under-prepared. No one is immune — companies of any size and in any industry can fall victim to a cyberattack. Incidents in health care, financial institutions and retail may be more widely publicized, but we’re now seeing an increase in attacks across all sectors, including manufacturing, real estate and construction. Consequently, it’s vital for executives, management personnel, legal and IT leaders in all industries to understand and help combat cyber risks so they are better protected for the “when.”