{"id":55544,"date":"2026-01-08T16:09:04","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/?p=55544"},"modified":"2026-01-08T16:09:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T15:09:04","slug":"what-to-do-if-youve-been-hacked-a-practical-checklist-for-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.itaf.eu\/en\/what-to-do-if-youve-been-hacked-a-practical-checklist-for-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do If You\u2019ve Been Hacked – A Practical Checklist for Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"

A cyber incident is stressful, and it\u2019s very serious. Whether it\u2019s a hacked email account, ransomware, or suspicious activity on your network, you may be facing data loss, business disruption, legal obligations, and reputational damage. In these situations, the <\/span>first hours matter most. <\/span><\/b> <\/span>If you\u2019re asking what to do if you’ve been hacked, this checklist walks you through the critical steps. It is written for <\/span>SMEs and organisations without a large internal IT team, <\/span>focusing on what to do first, what not to do, and how to limit damage.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>Step 1 \u2013 Evaluate the situation<\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\n

Before taking any action, <\/span>take stock of what\u2019s happening<\/span><\/b>. Assess which systems, accounts, or files are affected, and gather as much information as possible.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Common signs of a hack:<\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h3>\n