In the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, the first 30 minutes of a cyberattack can make the difference between a quick recovery and a devastating breach. At CyberTech Nexus, we’ve worked with individuals, SMEs, and enterprises across various sectors to detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats, and one thing is clear: speed and precision save data and reputations.

1. Recognize the Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) Immediately

Time is critical. The moment you notice unusual activity, such as: Unexpected file encryption, Login attempts from unknown IPs, Abnormal system behavior or user account privilege escalation.
In the 2017 Equifax breach, attackers exploited CVE-2017-5638, a vulnerability in Apache Struts. The attack went unnoticed for over two months, allowing hackers to exfiltrate personal data of 147 million Americans. Had IOCs been recognized in the early stages, the impact could have been greatly reduced.

2. Isolate the Affected Systems

Unplug from the network. Disconnect infected machines immediately to stop the spread. This includes Wi-Fi and LAN cables, VPN sessions, External storage devices.
Do not unplug or shut down the system immediately; instead, place it in containment mode for forensic analysis. During the WannaCry ransomware attack (leveraging CVE-2017-0144, an SMBv1 vulnerability), the malware spread rapidly across networks. Organizations that promptly isolated infected systems were able to contain the damage. Those that didn’t saw thousands of devices encrypted.

3. Notify Your Internal Cybersecurity/IT Team Immediately

Time to activate your Incident Response Plan (IRP). Alert your: SOC team, IT administrators, Internal cybersecurity consultants. If you don’t have an in-house team, reach out to a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) like us to help you manage the crisis in real-time.

4. Block Malicious IPs and Suspend Compromised Credentials

Use your firewall, SIEM, or EDR tools to: Block traffic from malicious or suspicious IPs, Suspend accounts showing unauthorized behavior, Review privileged access logs.
In the 2020 Twitter breach, attackers used social engineering to access internal tools and hijack high-profile accounts. A quicker lockdown of compromised credentials could have limited the spread of malicious Bitcoin scam tweets.

5. Start Logging Everything: Even Before Investigation

Turn on detailed logging if it's not already enabled: Endpoint logs, Network traffic, Authentication attempts, DNS queries. These logs are vital for forensic investigation and also necessary for compliance reporting (e.g., under GDPR, NDPR, or HIPAA).

6. Conduct an Initial Triage

• Classify the attack type (ransomware, DDoS, phishing, insider threat, etc.).
• Determine the scope of the incident, is it confined to one system or is it lateral?
• Prioritize based on critical systems affected (e.g., payment processors, patient records, etc.).

At this point, if you’re using our Managed Security Services, we’ll assist you with immediate triage and containment.

7. Collect and Preserve Evidence

To avoid losing volatile data:

• Take memory dumps.
• Preserve network traffic captures.
• Duplicate the system state if possible.

This helps in tracing the attacker’s footprint and is necessary for law enforcement or insurance claims.

8. Alert Affected Stakeholders (Quietly)

Without raising unnecessary alarm, notify key stakeholders:

• Executive leadership.
• Legal counsel.
• Compliance officers.

If you’re an individual or a small business, contact your Cybersecurity Consultant immediately for direction.

9. Report to Authorities (If Applicable)

If sensitive data has been exposed or the attack involves critical infrastructure:

• Report to your national CERT or CSIRT.
• Notify data protection agencies (e.g., NITDA in Nigeria).
• Inform third-party vendors or partners if they may be affected.
  

10. Prepare for the Next Phase: Recovery & Root Cause Analysis

Once containment is successful:

• Begin restoring from secure, offline backups.
• Patch exploited vulnerabilities (like CVE-2023-23397 in Outlook exploited by APT28).
• Run a full Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test.

With our Incident Response & Recovery service, we assist businesses and individuals not only with recovery, but also with building stronger resilience against future threats.

Conclusion

Cyberattacks don’t come with warnings. That’s why preparation, rapid response, and expert guidance are key. At CyberTech Nexus, we provide end-to-end services to protect, detect, and respond to threats, so you’re never alone when a crisis strikes.

If you’re not sure your systems are ready to survive the first 30 minutes of an attack, reach out for a security audit today. Stay Secure. Stay Resilient.

Services We Offer:

• IT & Cybersecurity Consultancy.
  
• Password Security.
  
• Social Media Security.
  
• Incident Response & Recovery.
  
• Security Audits & Vulnerability Assessments.
  
• Cyber Protection Academy.
  
• Managed Security Services.
  
• Penetration Testing.
  
• Compliance & Regulatory Services.