​​What to Do After a Cyberattack: A Business Owner’s Guide

One minute, everything is running smoothly, then suddenly, your screens freeze, files are locked, and your team is locked out of critical systems. A cyberattack can hit your business like a lightning bolt, unexpected and deeply disruptive. The emotional toll, the operational paralysis, and the uncertainty about what comes next can make it hard to know where to begin.

At Combined Technology, we’ve helped Oklahoma businesses of all sizes recover from cybersecurity incidents and come out even stronger. We understand that in the midst of the chaos, you need a clear action plan and a trusted partner. That’s why we put together this human-first guide to help you take smart, strategic steps to regain control and reduce long-term damage.

Step 1: Contain the Breach Immediately

As soon as you discover a cyberattack, your first instinct might be panic. But your first priority needs to be containment. The faster you act, the less damage the attacker can do.

Containment might include:

• Disconnecting affected computers or devices from the network
• Disabling compromised user accounts or changing login credentials
• Temporarily shutting down specific applications or services

This isn’t just a technical step, it’s about protecting your people, your operations, and your data. Quick action here can stop an attack from spreading across your systems like wildfire.

Step 2: Assess the Scope of the Attack

Once the immediate threat is contained, take a moment to breathe. Then, begin the process of assessing what just happened. You’ll need to determine:

• Which systems were affected
• Whether any sensitive data was accessed, stolen, or corrupted
• How the attackers got in, whether through phishing, an unpatched vulnerability, or compromised credentials

This is where having a professional IT partner is invaluable. At Combined Technology, we use digital forensics tools to uncover the full scope of a breach, pinpoint the entry point, and build a clear picture of what needs to be fixed.

Step 3: Notify the Right People

It can be tempting to keep things quiet, but transparency is critical. Depending on the severity of the attack and the type of data involved, you may need to notify:

• Internal leadership and your IT team
• Third-party vendors or partners affected by the breach
• Customers whose data may have been exposed
• Your legal counsel and cyber insurance provider
• Regulatory authorities, especially if personal or financial data was compromised

Every moment counts, and how you communicate during a crisis can either build or break trust. Clear, honest communication will help you maintain your credibility and avoid additional legal headaches.

Step 4: Begin the Recovery Process

Recovery after a cyberattack is not just about restoring what’s broken, it’s about ensuring your business can operate confidently going forward. For more insight into creating a reliable strategy, check out our blog on Top IT Disaster Recovery Plans for Medium Businesses and Enterprises in Tulsa.

With the breach contained and the damage assessed, it’s time to begin recovering. This is where business continuity and disaster recovery planning prove their worth.

Recovery includes:

• Restoring systems and files from verified, clean backups
• Rebuilding affected systems with security patches and updated configurations
• Resetting passwords and reissuing credentials across the organization
• Conducting a full security audit to ensure there are no lingering vulnerabilities

If you don’t already have a formal recovery plan, this is your wake-up call. We help our clients develop and test disaster recovery strategies so that when the worst happens, they’re not starting from scratch.

Step 5: Strengthen Your Cybersecurity Posture

Getting hit once is painful. Getting hit twice because you didn’t make changes? That’s preventable.

Many business owners breathe a sigh of relief once systems are restored. But if you don’t take this opportunity to improve your defenses, you’re setting yourself up for a repeat attack.

Here are some of the most effective strategies to build resilience:

• Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all systems
• Keeping your firewall, antivirus, and endpoint protection up to date
• Regularly training your team to recognize phishing and other social engineering threats
• Deploying 24/7 network monitoring and managed detection & response (MDR)
• Conducting penetration testing and vulnerability scans on a regular basis

At Combined Technology, we tailor security programs to the specific needs of Oklahoma businesses, whether you’re in professional services, healthcare, energy, or beyond.

Bonus: Create or Review Your Incident Response Plan

If you didn’t have a response plan before the attack, now is the perfect time to create one. A strong incident response plan outlines:

• Who to contact internally and externally during an incident
• Clear roles and responsibilities across departments
• Communication plans for customers, vendors, and regulatory bodies
• Steps for immediate containment, investigation, and recovery

Think of it as your emergency playbook. It’s the document you hope you’ll never need, but when you do, it can save you hours of confusion, thousands in lost revenue, and potentially your entire business.

For business owners thinking ahead, it’s just as important to stay informed about what’s coming next. Make sure to read our blog on Cybersecurity Trends to Watch in 2025 for insights on how to proactively prepare for the evolving threat landscape.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent, more sophisticated, and more damaging. But the good news is: with the right preparation and support, your business can recover, and even emerge stronger.

Whether your business has recently experienced an attack or you want to take proactive steps to safeguard your systems, Combined Technology is here to help. We’ve worked with businesses across Oklahoma to build robust cybersecurity strategies, provide managed IT services, and offer peace of mind in an unpredictable digital world.

Take the first step toward a more secure future.