Breach Response Planning
Have a tested incident response plan ready before a breach happens — not after
When a data breach occurs, you have 72 hours or less to notify regulators in many states — and the clock starts when you discover the breach, not when you finish investigating it. Without a pre-built response plan, organizations waste critical time figuring out who to notify, what to say, and how to contain the breach. Performance West develops comprehensive breach response plans tailored to your business, data types, and operating states. We identify your notification obligations (which vary by state), draft template notification letters, establish an incident response team structure, create containment procedures, and develop a communication plan for customers, regulators, and media. We also conduct tabletop exercises to test your plan with realistic scenarios, ensuring your team knows their roles and can execute quickly when a real incident occurs.
Risk if non-compliant
All 50 states have breach notification laws with deadlines as short as 30 days. Late notification can result in additional penalties and significantly increased litigation exposure.
Potential penalties
- ⚠ State AG enforcement for late notification
- ⚠ Per-consumer notification penalties ($100-$750 under CCPA)
- ⚠ Increased litigation exposure from delayed notification
- ⚠ FTC enforcement for inadequate security practices
- ⚠ Reputational damage from poorly managed response
- ⚠ Regulatory fines for lacking reasonable security measures
What we deliver
- ✓ Assess your data types and breach notification obligations
- ✓ Map notification requirements for all operating states
- ✓ Develop incident classification and escalation procedures
- ✓ Draft template notification letters (regulators, consumers, media)
- ✓ Establish incident response team roles and responsibilities
- ✓ Create data breach containment checklists
- ✓ Conduct tabletop exercises with realistic scenarios
- ✓ Provide annual plan review and updates
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a breach response plan?
Yes. Every business that handles personal information should have one. When a breach occurs, response time is critical and fumbling through an ad-hoc response significantly increases your exposure.
What's a tabletop exercise?
It's a simulated breach scenario where your team walks through your response plan as if a real breach occurred. It identifies gaps in the plan and ensures everyone knows their role.
How quickly do I need to notify after a breach?
It varies by state. Some states require notification within 30 days, others within 60 days. Several states have no specific deadline but require notification 'without unreasonable delay.'
Does this cover cyber insurance requirements?
Many cyber insurance policies require a documented incident response plan. Our plans are designed to satisfy common insurer requirements.
Ready to get started?
Contact us to discuss your compliance needs or request a quote.
Or call us: 1-888-411-0383