A cyber attack can happen at any time. Your systems could be locked by ransomware.
Customer data could be leaked online. Or it could be a silent breach undetected for weeks.
Your response when it happens determines how much damage is done.
Will you freeze? Or act fast?
This guide walks you through exactly what to do in the event of a cyber attack. It covers the steps, communication protocols, and recovery strategies.
And it explains why Wyrdex is the cybersecurity partner you can trust before, during, and after an attack.
What Is a Cyber Attack?
Not every IT issue is a cyber attack.
But many are and you need to recognize the signs.
Common Indicators:
- Sudden system crashes
- Ransom messages or locked files
- Suspicious logins or access attempts
- Data found on the dark web
- Firewall or antivirus alerts
- Customer complaints about odd account activity
If any of these occur, you may be under attack.
When that happens, every second counts.
Step 1: Identify the Incident and Confirm It’s Real
The sooner you detect an attack, the sooner you can respond.
If you have 24/7 monitoring or a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), they’ll likely be the first to spot it. If not, you may hear about it from internal alerts, employees, or even customers.
When an attack is suspected:
- Pause and assess the situation
- Confirm it’s not a false alarm
- Check logs, devices, and emails for compromise
- Isolate systems showing abnormal behavior
Wyrdex’s SOC (Security Operations Center) identifies threats in real time and sends alerts within minutes. We begin forensic triage immediately.
Step 2: Contain the Attack
Containment is critical. It prevents further spread.
- Disconnect affected machines from the network
- Disable compromised user accounts
- Shut down targeted services not the whole network
- Block malicious IP addresses or domains
- Stop data exfiltration attempts
Do not wipe or reformat systems without consulting cybersecurity experts—critical evidence could be lost.
Wyrdex offers remote containment support, either alongside your IT team or through full incident control, minimizing downtime and damage.
Step 3: Communicate Clearly and Frequently
Avoid panic but don’t stay silent.
Send a clear internal communication:
- Acknowledge the issue
- Identify affected systems
- Provide clear instructions for employees
- Assign roles and responsibilities
Avoid blame. Stay focused on resolution.
If employees are contacted by the media, instruct them to refer inquiries to a designated spokesperson.
Wyrdex provides incident response templates and communication support to help you manage messaging under pressure.
Step 4: Begin the Investigation and Forensic Analysis
You need to know:
- What happened
- When it started
- How it occurred
- Who and what was affected
- Whether the attacker still has access
This involves:
- Reviewing system and network logs
- Examining firewall and antivirus reports
- Analyzing email headers and attachments
- Auditing access logs
- Detecting malware and persistence mechanisms
Wyrdex conducts detailed forensic investigations using proprietary tools and methodologies. We produce reports that meet legal, regulatory, and insurance standards.
Step 5: Notify Authorities and Affected Parties
If personal data was accessed, stolen, or leaked, you may be legally required to notify:
- National Data Protection Authorities (e.g., Datatilsynet)
- Affected individuals or customers
- Third-party partners or vendors
- Law enforcement
- Your cyber insurance provider
Deadlines vary:
- GDPR requires breach notification within 72 hours
- NIS-2 mandates breach reporting
- PCI DSS applies if cardholder data is involved
Wyrdex helps prepare compliant reports, meet notification deadlines, and communicate externally. We also support your PR team with messaging.
Step 6: Eliminate the Threat
Once the attacker is blocked, remove all traces of their presence:
- Eradicate malware or backdoors
- Delete compromised files
- Reset affected user and admin credentials
- Patch exploited vulnerabilities
- Reimage compromised systems if needed
This step requires precision. Rushing risks leaving hidden threats behind.
Wyrdex performs full-scale threat removal across servers, cloud environments, endpoints, and mobile devices ensuring nothing is left behind.
Step 7: Recover and Restore Safely
Once the threat is removed, begin recovery.
Use verified, clean backups—not backups created after the breach began.
Before systems go back online:
- Scan backup data for malware
- Verify system integrity
- Re-enable access in stages
- Closely monitor for reinfection
Wyrdex offers safe, automated recovery services with offsite and immutable backup systems that are resistant to ransomware encryption.
Step 8: Conduct a Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
You must understand how the breach occurred and why it wasn’t stopped.
Your RCA should include:
- Initial point of entry
- Failed security controls
- Duration of attacker access
- Affected systems and data
- Underlying vulnerabilities
Wyrdex delivers professional RCA reports that include timelines, technical breakdowns, and remediation recommendations. These are also used for compliance audits and insurance claims.
Step 9: Document Everything
Thorough documentation is essential.
Record:
- The full incident timeline
- Actions taken and by whom
- Internal and external communications
- Decisions made and rationale
- Costs incurred
This documentation is critical for:
- Insurance claims
- Regulatory audits
- Legal protection
- Post-mortem reviews
Wyrdex provides real-time incident documentation tools that automatically log events as they happen.
Step 10: Strengthen Your Defenses
A cyber attack is a warning. Don’t ignore it.
Use this moment to:
- Evaluate your current defenses
- Improve employee training
- Upgrade detection and alerting systems
- Implement multi-factor authentication
- Patch vulnerabilities promptly
- Update or create a robust incident response plan
Wyrdex offers complete post-incident hardening and resilience building. We don’t just fix broken systems—we help you rebuild stronger ones.
How Wyrdex Helps Before, During, and After an Attack
We’re more than IT providers.
Wyrdex is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) serving businesses across the Nordics. We specialize in helping organizations grow safely in the face of cyber threats.
Our Services Include:
- 24/7 threat detection and rapid response
- Comprehensive cybersecurity assessments
- GDPR, NIS-2, and ISO 27001 compliance support
- Legal and forensic reporting
- Cloud and endpoint security
- Incident response planning and simulation
- Secure backup and disaster recovery
- Employee security awareness training
Whether you’re recovering from an incident or preparing for one, Wyrdex is your trusted partner.
You Can’t Afford to Be Unprepared
Cyber attacks are inevitable. That’s reality.
What matters is how quickly you detect them, how effectively you respond, and how completely you recover.
Prepared companies lose less, recover faster, and maintain customer trust.
Unprepared companies put everything at risk.
Let Wyrdex help you create the right response plan before you need it.
Visit Wyrdex.com or call us today for a cyber readiness consultation.
Because when an attack happens, you need to already have the answers.
The cost of being unprepared is always greater than the cost of prevention.