Hosting Provider Security: How to Build a Strong Data Breach Response Plan

You're familiar with that dreadful feeling when your phone vibrates with a server alert at 1:00 am? Yes - that feeling. If you have run any hosting servers, you are familiar - breaches of data will surely happen to someone. What should you do now? Create a simple, straight-forward data breach response plan. A plan that helps you quickly respond while all hell breaks loose instead of simply looking good on paper.

Step 1: Discover the Breach Quickly​

The sooner you discover a breach, the lesser amount of damage it can do. Let’s face it - most breaches go unnoticed for days or, in some cases, weeks.

Ask yourself the following question: Would you even notice if a hacker broke in to your server right now?

To be prepared, you should follow these guidelines:

• Utilize 24/7 monitoring tools such as CrowdStrike or Wazuh.
• Establish alerts for changing logs for monitoring when there is an alert.
• Monitor unusual activity from users or unusual network traffic.

Stage 2: Preventing Further Damage​

When confirming a breach, the worst thing you can do is panic and take action that loses evidence/forensics — that is a recipe for disaster.

Here is the action to be taken:

• Isolate the servers that have been compromised (disconnected but don't delete).
• Get reset all passwords, SSH keys, and API keys.
• Lock all access to backups so that the attacker can't delete or modify them.

Your intent here is simple: stop the attack and preserve evidence so that you can address the root cause down the line.

Step 3: Cleanup and Restoration​

Since the attack has ceased, now it is time to clean up. Here are some tips:

• Remove infected files and re-image the servers if possible.
• Restore your systems from back ups that are clean of the virus.
• Patch previous software and close off any security “ holes” on your system.

When it is time to bring a system back on the network, do not allow a compromised system on the network until you are 100% sure it is clean, just like you do not drive until you fix your brakes.

Step 4: Be Transparent​

When a data breach occurs, there is nothing to be gained by concealing it. Be honest with your users as well as with your team. Tell them what happened, what you are doing about it and what precautions they can take to be safe. Openness fosters trust, silence erodes it.

Step 5: Evaluate and Communicate​

After you have fully recovered from the breach, have a conversation with the team about what they did wrong, how they will do better at preventing a possible breach, and start to identify which tools are applicable, and who will need more training moving forward. Every negative experience should contribute toward a future positive experience. No one will stop every attack, but we can make sure the next attack won't be as impactful.