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Proper preparation and planning prevents poor performance is a famous adage that the British Army has used for centuries.
Ensuring thatemployeesare well-prepared for whatever challenges arise is crucial.
Readiness can be the difference between a well-handled, minor cyber incident and a major crisis.
Senior Director Operational Resilience at Immersive.
The Log4j incident highlighted the critical need for proactive vulnerability management and a robust incident response strategy.
As a zero-day, there was little that could be done to proactively reduce risk.
Success depends on a clear decision-making framework that balances urgent needs with long-term objectives.
So, what does an effective framework look like?
A strong starting point during any crisis is being able to gather all accurate and relevant information.
For example, how do you keep people safe, and which systems are essential for maintaining services?
Effective crisis management demands prioritizing resources and making informed trade-offs to minimize the impact of an attack.
Considering such priorities before an incident will also reveal the ethical implications of each choice.
This includes the impact of decisions oncustomers, employees, and business relationships.
By considering such implications, leaders can then make decisions that support sustainable recovery.
However, during a crisis, there are a number of points leaders need to follow.
First and foremost, clear and transparent communication is absolutely essential.
Stakeholders need to be provided with regular updates so they can manage expectations.
Its critical that any statement provides truthful information about the situation, including any associated risks and uncertainties.
On the other hand, Atmos recently showcased the importance of regular communication.
During a crisis, its also critical that leaders remain flexible and adaptable to changes.
Cyber incidents are constantly changing, and new information is coming to the forefront.
Leaders must learn from ongoing events and adjust their approaches based on real-time feedback and evolving circumstances.
By incorporating feedback from stakeholders and team members, leaders can refine strategies and improve crisis management.
However, preparation doesnt mean just creating plans but regularly testing and refining them.
An effective crisis management framework should include well-defined roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols.
Ongoing training is crucial to reinforce the crisis management framework, instilling confidence and ensuring familiarity with assigned roles.
Comprehensive crisis simulations, including cyber drills, should emulate real-life scenarios to enhance preparedness and situational awareness.
Debriefing sessions enable leaders to analyze successes and pinpoint gaps in the response process.
Maintaining a culture of continuous improvement is key to sustaining a robust state of crisis readiness.
Ultimately, the rate and impact of cyberattacks is not going to slow down anytime soon.
However, being prepared for such incidents can stop an attack from becoming a full-blown crisis.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc.
