Report Cyber Attacks

If your business has been victimized by an cyber attack, you should notify the appropriate authorities. This gives you a chance to recoup any losses and ensure that the attackers are brought to justice.

Here are some tips for responding to various sorts of online incidents:

• Hacker attacks and computer viruses: Disconnect the affected computer from the Internet and having it thoroughly scanned and cleaned, either by your internal IT department or a specialist. Report any suspected Internet crimes to the FBI.

• Spyware: Run a spyware scan or have it professionally diagnosed and cleaned. Report spyware incidents to the Federal Trade Commission‘s OnGuard Online website at www.onguardonline.gov/file-complaint.aspx.

• Spam: Use a spam filter and delete spam messages that pass through. You can also forward spam to the FTC at spam@uce.gov or the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org.

• ID Theft: Visit the Fraud and ID Theft page to learn how to recover your identity. The FTC also has resources about reporting breaches and a sample letter to show how you can notify customers. 

• Online Shopping Fraud: Be careful who you conduct business with online. If you are defrauded in an online transaction, try to resolve things with the seller. If that fails, you can report incidents to:
  • Your state attorney general
  • The FTC
  • Your local Better Business Bureau

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) also maintains an incident reporting system for computer security incidents.