Imagine the following scenario: you receive an email from an old acquaintance that you did not expect. Your friend has attached a document they want you to examine; however, what you do not realize is that your friend’s email has been compromised. Shortly after receiving and opening the email, you receive a notification from your credit card company that suspicious purchases have been made from your account. You order them to freeze your cards—but what do you do next?
In this newsletter, we have published articles on the ways you can protect yourself from a cyberattack. What we have discussed less often are the steps you should take were you to suffer an attack. Protecting yourself from cyberattacks is just one component of strong cyber hygiene because once you have identified that your personal information has been stolen, the clock starts ticking. Your next move needs to be to document the attack and report it to the proper authorities.
To document the attack, there are several pieces of information you will want to note. This will make it easier for enforcement agencies to assist your case:
- When the attack occurred.
- How you believe the attack was orchestrated.
- Any known details about the hacker.
- What information was compromised.
- Other information that might be pertinent.
The next step depends on what kind of hack you believe you have suffered. It is a good idea to report the attack to your local authorities, especially if you have reason to believe that the hacker is someone you personally know. From there, you have several avenues for reporting:
- For fraud or scams, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. They also work closely with law enforcement agencies nationwide.
- For identity theft or consumer issues, file a report with the Federal Trade Commission. They provide assistance to identity-theft victims and may have insight into criminal patterns.
- For severe hacking or copyright infringement, contact the Department of Justice. They can also provide more specific agency contact information based on the crime you experienced.
- For suspicious online encounters with advertising or purchases, go to the econsumer.gov website. They can help if you have been taken advantage of by an online store.
If you believe that you are the victim of a cyber hack—do not wait. Time is an important resource when investigating an attack, meaning that the quicker you can notify law enforcement, the better the chance that they will hold the perpetrator accountable.
