This week we sat down for an interview with CommCore CEO Andy Gilman to understand how cyber security poses a threat to not only your data, but also your crisis management plan.
You’ve been doing more speaking engagements on Cyber security lately. Any reason why?
The number of cyber-attacks on large and businesses, utilities, and hospital systems has grown exponentially over the past several years. Clients are all trying to figure out how the 3Rs for this type of crisis: How to get Ready, React and Recover from a hacking or breach.
Where does PR and reputation management fit in with Cyber?
Public Relations plays a key role. First, any good Crisis plan needs a PR component. For some cyber crises that are handled without public exposure, being ready to act is important. For other cyber crises, PR and reputation management is a critical part of the response process.
How has Cyber crisis response changed with the increase in attacks?
There has been a fundamental shift in the public reaction to a hack or breach. Just a couple of years ago, the organization was considered a “victim” by the perpetrators. Now, given the prevalence the public view is: Why didn’t you take steps to prevent the attack or the loss of data?
What advice do you have for clients looking to prepare for a Cyber attack?
At a recent law firm conference on Cyber Security, an attorney with Southern California Edison presented 6 very straight-forward steps to managing a Cyber attack. His rules were:
- Have a plan.
- Make friends with IT and other departments in your organization.
- Coordinate different emergency and crisis plans, such IT, Security and PR.
- Develop pre-approved templates for media and stakeholder response.
- Conduct crisis communication drills to test your plan for speed and effective response
- Have law enforcement on speed dial.
You can visit CommCore’s crisis management section on our website to learn how we can help before, during and after a crisis.