I Think My Data Has Been Compromised - Now What?

There you are, clicking through your inbox on an ordinary Monday when … wait, what was that? Why is something downloading? What the heck is going on? Did you just get hacked?!

It can be quite a scary situation when you first realize that you may have fallen victim to malware or a phishing scheme - although, the sooner you realize it the faster you can respond with a plan of action. If you think you’ve been hacked or that your data has been compromised, here are five things to do right away to try and mitigate the damage. 

Change. Your. Password.

Seriously - do not pass go, and do not collect $200 until every single password you can think of has been changed. Start with the password of the compromised account, then move on to any accounts that may be associated with that email address, and continue on from there. Yes, it’s annoying - but it’s also completely necessary and non-negotiable if you want to keep your data safe. While you’re at it, make sure you’re creating super secure passwords and consider activating two-factor authentication where available.

Delete, Delete, Delete! 

This next step may or may not be possible, but you can go on a deleting spree. In the account that was compromised, delete anything that contains sensitive data. That time you emailed yourself the username and password to your bank account - yeah, you just go right ahead and send that email to the trash. Then be sure to empty the trash.

Revoke Access 

To keep the bad guys from infiltrating every facet of your life, another step to take is to revoke access via social media. There are probably more apps than you’re even aware of tied to your various social media and email accounts, each sharing data back and forth. To secure those accounts you’ll want to login as soon as possible and revoke access to any other apps.And you may also want to consider changing your login information so that you’re no longer signing in by clicking the “login with Facebook” button.

Notify Everyone 

Okay, here’s the part no one likes but everyone will appreciate. If you think you’ve been hacked, you have to notify your network. People in your email contacts or your connections on social networks need to know so that they can be on the lookout for any suspicious activity coming from your accounts - that also goes for professional and personal contacts. You don’t want to go through all of the trouble of trying to secure your accounts only to have the person in the cubicle next to you click a link that looks like it’s coming from you and start the whole thing all over again. 

Scan Your Systems 

Last but certainly not least (actually this should probably take place at the same time you’re trying to change all of your passwords), run a malware and antivirus scan of your systems and network. You may think you’ve got everything under control but some of these buggers are speedier than you think and before you know it they’ve burrowed deep into your system to wreak havoc. Get them out of there as soon as possible! 

If your organization has been hacked, you may need to put your business continuity plan in place - be sure you’re ready for anything by taking our quiz.