Crisis Communication for a Cybersecurity Incident: Step by Step Guide

Your No-Panic Guide to Cybersecurity Communication

Let’s talk about something that makes every leader’s stomach drop – cybersecurity incidents. You know that moment: your phone rings at an ungodly hour, and someone tells you there might have been a breach. Your mind starts racing, your palms get sweaty, and suddenly you’re wondering if you should’ve paid more attention during that crisis training last quarter.

Deep breath. We’ve all been there, and I’m here to walk you through this.

First Things First: Getting Your Bearings

Remember that scene in Apollo 13 when they first discover something’s wrong? That initial response sets the tone for everything that follows. Here’s what you need to do in those first crucial moments:

Take a quick but thorough inventory of what’s happening. Think of it like checking your vital signs:

• Which systems are acting up?
• What data might be exposed?
• Is anything customer-facing broken?
• Who’s already noticed?

Get your A-team assembled ASAP. You’ll need:

• Your IT security champions
• Legal eagles (trust me, you’ll want them early)
• Communications pros
• Key department heads

Internal Communication: Getting Everyone on the Same Page

Here’s where things get interesting – and by interesting, I mean potentially chaotic if not handled right. You need to keep your team informed without causing panic. It’s like conducting an orchestra during an earthquake – tricky, but doable.

First, get your response team in sync. Use secure messaging platforms (now’s not the time for regular Slack channels), and make sure everyone knows their role. Think of it as your crisis mission control.

Then comes the trickier part – telling your employees. They need to know:

• What’s happening (in simple terms)
• What they should and shouldn’t do
• Who to contact if they notice something odd
• How to respond if customers ask questions

External Communication: The Art of Transparency Without Terror

This is where most organizations either clam up (bad move) or overshare (equally bad). You need to find that sweet spot between being open and being strategic.

Think about your audience like concentric circles:

1. Inner circle: Directly affected customers and stakeholders
2. Middle circle: Partners and industry peers
3. Outer circle: Media and general public

Each circle needs different information at different times. Your directly affected customers need to know ASAP, while the media can wait until you have a clearer picture.

The Tools That’ll Save Your Sanity

Let’s talk about the digital cavalry that can come to your rescue. You don’t need all of these, but having a few in your arsenal can make life much easier:

For Keeping Track:

• IBM Resilient or ServiceNow SecOps (for the enterprise folks)
• Resolver (if you want something more streamlined)

For Getting the Word Out:

• Everbridge (when you need to reach everyone yesterday)
• Signal (for those super-secure team conversations)

For Watching What’s Happening:

• Splunk or Rapid7 (your digital security cameras)
• Brand24* (because social media will be talking)

The Legal Stuff (Because We Have To)

I know, I know – not the fun part. But ignoring regulations during a crisis is like ignoring a flat tire during a race. You need to know what laws apply to you (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and what they require. Keep your legal team close – they’re your friends in this situation.

Learning From the Chaos

Once the dust settles, you’ll want to look back and learn. What worked? What failed spectacularly? What made you think “why didn’t we prepare for this?”

Take those lessons and:

• Update your response playbook
• Upgrade your tools if needed
• Train your team on new procedures
• Practice, practice, practice

Wrapping It Up

Here’s the thing about cybersecurity incidents – they’re not a matter of if, but when. The good news? Every crisis makes you better at handling the next one (though let’s hope there isn’t a next one).

Remember:

• Quick response doesn’t mean panicked response
• Clear communication beats perfect communication that’s too late
• Your team needs to know what’s happening
• Documentation is your friend

Want to Stay Ahead of the Game?

Drop me and email at hello@cornelianel.com so we can work on a Crisis Communication Plan before it happens to your business. It might save your bacon one day.