Crisis management & crisis communication in the event of cyber attacks

We have often talked about cyber attacks and their consequences in recent months - particularly in relation to the vulnerability of systems and preventative measures. But one very important component has been neglected so far: overarching crisis management and crisis communication.

In this context, we work very closely with the management consultancy ZIEGLER Company, which specialises in advising companies in particularly challenging situations. This has resulted in a very synergetic and energetic connection.

In our short series on this topic, we start with the implications of cyberattacks for crisis and communication management.

Holistic crisis prevention through IT security, overarching crisis management and crisis communication

Although cyberattacks or their prevention are primarily thought of in terms of IT security, this only covers part of the crisis management of such incidents. Equally important is the preparation of the organisation and those responsible for it for the overarching crisis management and crisis communication of the incident.

The central element here is one thing in particular: knowing what to do in the event of an incident. In addition to IT support for the incident, this also means the correct and targeted organisational handling of pending measures to ensure the internal ability to act, protect reputation and communicate with relevant stakeholders.

This is where pitfalls lurk that, depending on their size, can not only quickly push companies to their organisational limits, but can also cause considerable financial damage due to incorrect crisis handling. One example of this is the transport service provider UBER , which was able to quickly rectify a security incident in 2016, but had to pay damages totalling several million euros due to its incorrect communication strategy.

Source: Ziegler

Cyberattacks - loss of operational capability and a dangerous gamble with reputation

Cyber attacks - loss of operational capacity to act and a dangerous gamble with reputation

Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common - and particularly challenging for companies. This type of attack is particularly treacherous for companies as, in the worst case scenario, it involves the theft and leakage of sensitive data and, at the same time, results in the complete loss of operational capacity due to the full encryption of systems.

This implies enormous challenges for the affected company:

The management of the crisis and the crisis team must be organised
The failed, The failed, critical organisational processes must be identified and secured as quickly as possible
The legal reporting obligations to the data protection authorities and, if applicable, affected employees and customers must be complied with
. data protection authorities and any affected employees and customers
Stolen data from the company and/or external partners harbours enormous risk potential for competitiveness, liability and reputation
Since a failure of the internal and external communication infrastructure is likely, it must be rebuilt or alternatives implemented
. alternatives
To protect reputation in the context of a possible loss of trust in the event of data theft and/or self-inflicted damage due to inadequate IT security, a clear communication strategy towards stakeholders is required
Liability issues and insurance claims must be examined in detail, as must the involvement of the investigating authorities

In addition to IT forensic and legal expertise, organisational and communication experts are therefore always required in such cases. This applies in particular to companies that have not yet practised preventative crisis and crisis communication management. However, the fact that prevention is essential when it comes to cybercrime is also made clear by the fact that such security incidents cost companies an average of EUR 3.35 million.

Interdisciplinary planning is crucial

Comprehensive preparation is crucial. In addition to an IT contingency plan, a guideline for crisis management and crisis communication should therefore also be available. Only then will all responsibilities and processes be sufficiently defined and ensure smooth crisis management of the overall incident.

Information on how to meet these challenges can be found in the second part of our series on Crisis management & crisis communication in the event of cyberattacks.

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