Data Breach Response Card™

What to do if hacked: the order matters more than you think

The moment you discover a breach, the clock is running, and most people do the wrong things first: they click the link in the scary email, they panic-scan their computer, they change one password and stop. This free response card gives you what to do if hacked, in the sequence that actually protects you: 12 steps across three time windows, each one protecting the steps after it.

The first hour stops the bleeding

Confirm the breach is real at Have I Been Pwned instead of clicking anything in the notification email, because fake breach warnings are a scam of their own. Then the breached password, then every account that reused it, email first, always, because whoever controls your email can reset everything else you own. Then 2FA, so the stolen password becomes worthless.

The first day catches what they touched

Sign out of every session, and check the sneaky one almost everyone misses: email forwarding rules. Attackers plant a forwarding rule so they keep reading your inbox long after you change the password. The card also covers card replacement, activity logs, and the short embarrassing message to your contacts that protects the people who trust you.

The first week locks the doors properly

Post-breach phishing is smarter, because scammers now know your real name and real data, so the card shows you what those emails look like. Then the permanent fixes: a password manager, credit alerts if ID documents leaked, and deleting the old accounts that will otherwise become your next breach. Plus a what-leaked guide, because an exposed email address and an exposed passport need completely different responses.

Overwhelmed by what to do if hacked? We take over

Some breaches are too big to handle alone at midnight. Our Cybersecurity Services™ run the whole response for you: accounts recovered, passwords rebuilt, 2FA everywhere, devices checked, damage mapped. One remote session, plain language, no judgment. Pair this card with the Password Security Checklist™ so the next breach finds nothing to steal.