Security Breach: Tune into Our Podcast for Next Steps

TLDR:

• Robert F. Walker, Chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice, recently discussed handling a cyber incident in an episode of the SafeHouse Initiative podcast titled “You’ve Been Breached! Now What?”
• Mr. Walker explained the role of a privacy lawyer in responding to a cyber incident and discussed the importance of engaging forensic vendors to contain the environment and determine the extent of the damage caused by a breach.
• He advised businesses to have an incident response plan in place, maintain offsite backups that are tested regularly, and implement preventative measures like multi-factor authentication systems.
• Mr. Walker concluded the podcast by reassuring businesses that they are not alone and that there are resources available to help them recover from a cyber incident.

During a recent episode of the SafeHouse Initiative podcast, Robert F. Walker, Chair of Lewis Brisbois’ Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice, discussed strategies for handling a cyber incident and mitigating its short and long-term impacts. Mr. Walker explained that a privacy lawyer’s role is to oversee the incident response process and engage forensic vendors to contain the environment and determine the damage caused by the breach.

He advised businesses to have an incident response plan in place, which includes hypothetical scenarios, assigned responsibilities, plans to engage the insurance carrier, and an understanding of communication/notification obligations. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of maintaining offsite backups that are regularly tested and knowing how long it will take to restore systems from those backups.

Mr. Walker also emphasized the need for preventative measures, such as implementing multi-factor authentication systems. He recommended immediate notification of the FBI in the event of a breach, as they possess a wealth of information about threat actors and can provide support and assistance. Furthermore, he discussed the role of privacy counsel in analyzing forensic data and counseling clients on who they should notify, including individuals, business partners, and regulators.

Mr. Walker closed the podcast by assuring businesses that they are not alone and that there are resources available to help them recover from a cyber incident. He encouraged them to understand that professionals deal with these situations on a daily basis and that they will be able to recover.