Once your systems are breached, following the rules becomes critical. Executives, regulators, insurance companies, and customers will all want answers. Fast.
Are you prepared to meet those expectations?
If not, this guide is for you.
We’ll show you how to manage compliance after a cyber attack, reduce your legal risks, and rebuild trust. We’ll also explain how Wyrdex can support you through every step quickly and accurately.
What Does It Really Mean to Be “Compliant After a Cyber Attack”?
Compliance after a breach means following all applicable laws, regulations, and contractual obligations. This includes:
Reporting the incident within a mandated time frame
- Notifying customers and partners
- Documenting everything that was impacted
- Taking immediate corrective actions
- Cooperating with investigators and regulators
Requirements vary by industry, location, and data type.
- GDPR applies if you store or process personal data in Europe
- NIS-2 applies if you operate in critical infrastructure
- PCI DSS applies if you handle cardholder data
Step 1: Quickly Notify the Appropriate Authorities
Speed is everything. If you discover a data breach, GDPR requires notification within 72 hours.
Other frameworks have similar deadlines.
- National Data Protection Authorities (e.g., Norway’s Datatilsynet)
- Sector-specific regulators
- Law enforcement (especially in cases of extortion or national security threats)
Penalties increase with delays or vague disclosures. Be transparent. Stick to the facts. Report what happened, when, what data was compromised, and how you’re responding.
Wyrdex helps you draft and submit compliant reports on time, ensuring adherence to local and industry-specific regulations.
Step 2: Notify Affected Individuals Promptly
If customer data was compromised, you are legally required to inform those affected.
This is mandated by GDPR, HIPAA, and other data protection laws.
Your message should be clear and actionable. It must include:
- What happened
- What data was exposed
- Potential risks to the individual
- Recommended actions they should take
- What you’re doing to protect them
Do not delay or sugarcoat the message. The longer you wait, the more trust you lose.
Wyrdex helps you craft legally sound, clear notifications to maintain transparency and compliance.
Step 3: Maintain Records and Preserve Evidence
Regulators may investigate your business after a cyber attack.
Be prepared.
Document every step of your response:
- Timeline of events
- Forensic investigation findings
- Security logs
- Internal communications
- Third-party reports
- Legal counsel input
Preserve this evidence.
It will support legal defenses, insurance claims, and demonstrate compliance.
Wyrdex simplifies this process with incident report templates and digital evidence management.
Step 4: Review and Update Your Policies
Your existing cybersecurity policies will be scrutinized.
Outdated or missing procedures can lead to non-compliance.
Review these critical documents:
- Incident Response Plan
- Data Breach Notification Policy
- Access Control Policy
- Backup and Recovery Plan
- Vendor Risk Management Policy
Update them based on the lessons learned from the attack.
Wyrdex audits and revises post-incident policies to align with the latest cybersecurity and data protection standards.
Step 5: Cooperate with Investigators and Auditors
Regulators or law enforcement may launch an investigation.
Full cooperation is essential.
Provide appropriate logs, documentation, and access to team members. Respond professionally and factually.
Avoid speculation or defensiveness.
If you have a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) like Wyrdex, we handle the technical side and assist throughout the investigation.
Step 6: Perform a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Share It
Most compliance frameworks require a Root Cause Analysis (RCA).
This is your opportunity to demonstrate transparency and a commitment to improvement.
Identify:
- How the attacker gained access
- Which systems or processes failed
- What you’ve done to resolve it
- What new controls you’re implementing
An RCA proves you’re not just reacting you’re evolving.
Wyrdex delivers forensic-backed RCA reports supported by endpoint logs and threat intelligence.
Step 7: Strengthen Controls and Document Remediation
Regulators want proof that the breach won’t happen again.
Demonstrate:
- Upgraded firewalls, endpoint protection, or detection systems
- Implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Patched systems and resolved vulnerabilities
- Improved monitoring and alerting
- Regular employee cybersecurity training
If you lacked proper logging or detection before the attack, fix that immediately.
Wyrdex offers infrastructure hardening, Managed Detection and Response (MDR), and continuous compliance monitoring.
Step 8: Validate Your Defenses with Testing
Compliance doesn’t end with remediation. You must prove your defenses are effective.
This requires penetration testing and cyber resilience audits.
Regular testing should include:
- Web application penetration testing
- Internal and external vulnerability scans
- Tabletop incident response exercises
- Disaster recovery simulations
Wyrdex conducts third-party testing and certification to validate your progress and compliance posture.
Step 9: Engage with Cyber Insurance Providers
If you carry cyber insurance, you must present a clear claim with evidence of compliance.
Insurers may require:
Regular testing should include:
- An incident response plan
- Proof of encryption and MFA
- Backup verification
- Evidence of reasonable protective measures
Failure to meet requirements may result in denied claims.
Wyrdex helps clients create insurance-compliant incident response plans before and after breaches.
Why Businesses Struggle with Compliance After a Breach
The biggest challenge is lack of preparation.
Many companies are unaware of their regulatory obligations until it’s too late. Others have outdated policies or no formal IT structure. Some never trained employees on basic security protocols.
This leaves them vulnerable not just to hackers, but to regulators, courts, and customers.
It’s not just about defending against cybercrime it’s about proving due diligence.
Wyrdex helps you build that foundation before an attack and safeguard it after one.
Why Wyrdex Is the Cybersecurity Partner You Should Choose
At Wyrdex, we help businesses across Europe stay secure, compliant, and resilient.
We don’t just respond we prepare.
Here’s how we do it:
24/7 SOC Monitoring
Real-time threat detection and response, around the clock.
Compliance-as-a-Service
We help you meet GDPR, NIS-2, ISO 27001, and more with all the documentation regulators require.
Forensics & Root Cause
Our experts uncover how the breach happened and how to stop it from happening again.
Employee Training
Phishing simulations and security awareness programs reduce human error.
Cloud & Infrastructure Security
Whether you’re on AWS, Azure, or on-premises, we help secure and streamline your environment.
Recovery & Rebuilding
After an attack, we guide you through restoring data and rebuilding trust step by step.
Cybersecurity Is No Longer Optional
Attacks are getting more frequent. Regulations are becoming stricter. Fines are increasing.
You can’t wait.
Whether you’re recovering from an incident or preparing for the next one, compliance must be part of your cybersecurity strategy.
Let Wyrdex handle the complexity.
We’ll ensure your business is secure, compliant, auditable, and resilient.
Visit Wyrdex.com or call our team today for a personalized compliance readiness check.
The best time to become compliant is before the attack.
The second-best time is right now.