Learn how we helped a client restore their hacked website. We'll give you practical tips on how to handle a website hack and effectively protect your online presence.
Hacker attacks destroy websites, steal customer data, and cause significant economic damage by encrypting IT systems. In Austria, the number of ransomware attacks is increasing significantly: According to a study by Deloitte and SORA, almost half of the companies surveyed have already experienced such an attack. Despite this threat, few companies have a crisis or emergency plan in place.
Our client's long-maintained website suddenly became unusable. Although backups were available, they turned out to be just as "infected" as the original site. The attackers could therefore not be simply removed from the system. As a result, important content – images, text, and layout – was lost. This was a significant setback, as this content was essential for the rebuild to build on the previous work.
While technical damage can usually be quickly identified and assessed, communication damage is more difficult to grasp and repair. If text, images, UX and UI designs, as well as the customer approach, have to be completely redeveloped, this poses a major communication challenge. This significantly increases the financial outlay, as existing materials cannot be used.
An effective IT security concept and measures for detecting attacks are crucial for protecting the content of a website. It is equally important to raise employees' awareness of IT security through targeted training and to educate them on how to use the technical systems.
On a communication and design level, content should be archived in a structured manner and kept accessible at all times. A systematic communication approach defines and documents when, where, and how different customer groups are addressed. This avoids duplication of effort and provides access to a proven content and design system in the event of a disaster.
Once the previously lost content was restored, we were able to plan the redesign and further development of the website and transparently present the associated costs.
