Boost your cyber resilience with our cyber incident response plan

In the last 12 months, the Department for Digital Media, Culture and Sport's Cyber Security Breaches Survey revealed that, 39% of businesses and 26% of charities reported having a cyber breach or attack. Among the 39 per cent of businesses and 26 per cent of charities that identify breaches or attacks, one in five (21% and 18% respectively) end up losing money, data or other assets.

One-third of businesses (35%) and four in ten charities (40%) report being negatively impacted regardless, for example because they require new post-breach measures, have staff time diverted or suffer wider business disruption.

The survey also revealed that whilst 66% of businesses and 59% of charities do report having some sort of formalised incident response process, approaches to incident response are often not very comprehensive.

To help you minimise the impact of a cyber attack we have created a template for you to use.

Download template

Why is important to have a Cyber Incident Response Plan? A cyber security incident response plan provides a process that will help your business, charity or third sector organisation to respond effectively in the event of a cyber-attack.

How to use this template?

You are free to use, share, adapt and build upon this material, but you may not use this material for commercial purposes.
We suggest reviewing the pack and editing names and numbers where necessary, before you distribute to your organisation.
Consider printing appendix H to help staff with a clear reporting procedure in the beginning of any incident.
Use the checklist to provide a prompt response that will limit the damage of any attack, whilst communicating effectively through your channels to keep suppliers, customers, and staff onside. The checklist will help to calmly guide a response through a time of heightened stress and confusion.

How can the Cyber Resilience Centre for the South East support my business?

The SECRC offers a range a membership options depending on what level of support businesses in Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire need.

The Core Membership is free and provides businesses with 50 or fewer employees, access to a range of resources and tools to help them identify their risks and vulnerabilities, as well as providing guidance on the steps they can take to increase their levels of protection.

Working in conjunction with local universities and the regions local forces, the SECRC is able to provide a range of affordable cyber resilience services with the very current knowledge and technical expertise from the UK's top cyber talent. These services help SMEs and therefore their supply chain to prepare and improve cyber resilience.

From staff training to reviewing a company’s network and systems, these services will help boost a cyber security strategy.