Prepping a Mock Notification Letter Before a Cybersecurity Breach Hits

Being prepared for the worst before it even happens can minimize the damage in the event of a cybersecurity incident. To get any company ready for a cybersecurity event, the first step is to organize a team to write a mock breach notification letter. For this to be successful, you must shock the organization from the top down. Too many table tops and incident planning exercises start from the bottom up and do not represent the gravity of a beach — but not this. The product of this exercise, a simple letter, will represent your message to the world about your failure in the event you have a breach. It fundamentally provides the introduction of your problem to the world — how will you be judged?

Before Beginning the Exercise

While preparing to write your mock breach notification letter, you should be asking yourself the hard questions about what to do, what you will need, and who is responsible if your organization is the one to experience a significant data breach. Even though the actual details of the letter will differ depending on the actual incident, being organized and prepared will enable an organization's team to issue a real breach notification letter in a timely fashion. A rapid response can help solve the incident at hand and build back trust in the brand. Thematically auditors and lawyers will judge your decisions prior; however, your clients, customers, and partners will judge you on your response.