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Organizations cannot guarantee that a data breach will never happen, but they can make common routes into systems harder to exploit and limit the damage if defenses fail. Start by knowing which systems and data matter most, protect the accounts that reach them, patch exposed software, and prove that critical data can be restored from protected backups.
Build a security plan around the systems and data you rely on
Begin with an inventory of hardware, software, cloud services, data stores, and user and service accounts. For each important asset, record an owner, its business purpose, the data it holds, and dependencies that would affect recovery. This helps focus effort on the systems whose compromise or loss would cause the greatest harm.
CISA’s #StopRansomware Guide recommends comprehensive asset management, identifying critical systems and data, and applying least privilege. Treat those as ongoing operational tasks rather than a one-time audit.
- Limit each person’s and service’s access to what it needs for its job.
- Review administrator permissions and remove access that is no longer required.
- Disable unnecessary services and carefully configure systems exposed to the internet.
- Revisit the inventory when systems, vendors, or responsibilities change.
Protect email, remote access, and privileged accounts
Compromised credentials can give an attacker a path into email, remote access, or critical systems. Require multifactor authentication (MFA), prioritizing webmail, VPN access, administrative accounts, and accounts that can reach sensitive data. CISA recommends phishing-resistant MFA in its June 4, 2025 ransomware advisory.
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Where supported, a FIDO2-compatible hardware security key is one possible way to use a cryptographic factor. It is not a universal fix: check that the service and devices support the method, and plan how users will enroll, replace a lost key, and recover an account. Choose MFA by weighing phishing resistance, compatibility, recovery procedures, administrative effort, and cost—not by assuming one method fits every account.
Reduce the openings attackers can reach
Keep operating systems, applications, and firmware current. Prioritize known exploited vulnerabilities on internet-facing systems, and regularly assess systems for weaknesses. Avoid exposing remote administration services directly to the internet unless they are necessary and protected by appropriate safeguards.
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NIST describes enterprise patch management as preventive maintenance that can reduce compromises, breaches, and operational disruption. Its SP 800-40 Rev. 4, Guide to Enterprise Patch Management Planning, supports treating patching as a continuing process, not a cleanup reserved for after an incident. There is no single patch deadline that applies to every organization; use applicable laws, contracts, and risk-based procedures to set and track deadlines.
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Make backups useful even during a ransomware incident
Backups do not stop an attacker from getting in, but they can make recovery possible. CISA advises keeping offline, encrypted backups of critical data and testing their integrity and availability. Ransomware may seek out accessible backups, so a copy that attackers can alter or delete may not help when restoration is needed.
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- Cover the data and systems the organization actually needs to resume operations, including critical dependencies.
- Keep at least one protected copy offline or otherwise isolated from routine access.
- Use encryption and, where available, safeguards against deletion or overwrite in cloud storage.
- Test restoration in a recovery scenario; verify that the restored data is intact and accessible to authorized staff.
Compare backup approaches by isolation, encryption, resistance to alteration or deletion, coverage, and demonstrated restoration—not simply by whether a backup job reports success.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Prepare for a suspected breach before one occurs
Assign a response coordinator and define who handles technical investigation, business decisions, communications, and legal review. Keep current contact information and a response plan that explains how to secure systems, preserve relevant information, restore operations, and assess whether notifications are required.
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If a breach is suspected, mobilize the response team quickly. The FTC’s Data Breach Response: A Guide for Business advises businesses to secure their systems and fix vulnerabilities that may have caused the exposure. Preserve relevant information, including logs and data needed to understand what happened, and use preserved or backup data carefully during analysis.
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- Contain and secure: Protect affected systems and accounts while avoiding unnecessary changes that could destroy useful evidence.
- Investigate and preserve: Determine what may have been accessed or exposed, preserve relevant records, and identify the weakness or access path involved.
- Recover and correct: Restore from verified backups where needed and fix the vulnerability or access control that enabled the incident.
- Assess notifications: Consult applicable authorities and counsel about duties to regulators, affected people, or law enforcement. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, sector, incident, and data involved.
The FTC guide puts the risk of weak follow-through plainly: “The only thing worse than a data breach is multiple data breaches.”
Use guidance that fits your organization’s risk and obligations
These practices are a starting point, not a guarantee or a substitute for controls required by a sector, contract, or law. CISA’s ransomware materials provide prevention, preparation, mitigation, and response guidance; the FTC’s business guide focuses on breach response. NIST’s SP 1800-29, Data Confidentiality: Detect, Respond to, and Recover from Data Breaches, published February 23, 2024, addresses protecting data and handling breaches. Adapt the controls to your systems, data, and exposure, and get qualified IT or cybersecurity help when internal capacity is insufficient.
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