A CSO article discusses recent data breaches and analyses the responses of companies that were affected. It highlights some of the best and worst practices of companies that have experienced data breaches. The author emphasises the importance of having a response plan in place before a breach occurs, as well as transparency and communication with affected customers.
The author notes that organisations that respond well to data breaches are more likely to retain customer trust and avoid long-term reputational damage.

Key Characteristics Of Bad Response Strategies

  • 1

    Slow response: Delayed response to a data breach can significantly increase the damage and undermine the customer’s trust. In the case of the SolarWinds breach, the response was deemed too slow by some experts, and there were criticisms that the company could have responded more quickly to mitigate the damage.

  • 2

    Lack of transparency: Lack of transparency during and after a data breach can cause further distrust among customers. E.g. Uber, which tried to conceal a data breach for over a year before revealing it to the public.

  • 3

    Inadequate communication: Failure to communicate effectively during and after a data breach can harm the company’s reputation and customer relationships. In the case of Equifax, there were criticisms of the company’s communication strategy during and after the breach, which led to confusion among customers.

  • 4

    Inadequate preparation: Companies that are not prepared to respond to a data breach may struggle to contain the damage and protect their customers’ data. E.g. the Capital One breach, where the company was criticised for inadequate preparation and response, leading to a significant data loss.

  • 5

    Lack of accountability: Failure to take responsibility and be accountable for a data breach can harm the company’s reputation and customer trust. E.g. the Target breach, where the company was criticised for its inadequate response, which led to the loss of millions of customer credit card data.