In the age of technology, cyber incidents are a common threat to all businesses.
Here’s a simplified guide for CEOs on managing a cyber crisis:
- Set Up a Response Team: It’s not just an IT issue; it involves your entire business. Have a dedicated team or person (Senior Responsible Officer) ready to manage the situation from all angles.
- Get External Help: Bring in cybersecurity experts from outside your company. They can give unbiased advice and help manage the incident more effectively. If you have cyber insurance, contact your provider immediately.
- Handle Data Breaches Carefully: If customer or employee data is compromised, act quickly. Inform the affected individuals and report to relevant authorities (like the ICO) within 72 hours.
- Communicate Wisely: Be clear and honest in your communications. Make sure different messages are sent to different groups depending on their involvement and need for information.
- Think Twice Before Paying Ransoms: If hit by ransomware, be aware that paying the ransom does not guarantee your data back and could lead to more attacks.
- Look After Your Team: Remember, your staff will be under stress. Ensure they are supported throughout the incident to maintain morale and productivity.
- Learn from the Experience: After the incident, review what happened and why. Use these lessons to improve your future cybersecurity measures.
- Review Your Cybersecurity: Post-incident, assess your cybersecurity practices to prevent future incidents.
- Report the Incident: Inform authorities like the NCSC and law enforcement to help improve overall cyber security.
Following these steps can help manage a cyber incident effectively, minimizing damage to your company and maintaining trust with your customers and employees.
In recent years, many CEOs have found themselves operating in survival mode. Economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, talent challenges and shifting customer expectations have created a
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue, in 2026, it’s a core business risk. For UK organisations of all sizes, cyber threats have become more frequent, more
Artificial Intelligence has rapidly moved from being a futuristic concept to becoming one of the most influential forces shaping modern business. Almost every sector is now
Winning more business is no longer just about a better pitch. It is about how easy you are to work with, how quickly you
Digital transformation has been one of the most overused business terms of the last decade. Yet for all the talk, many organisations still struggle
For many organisations, achieving Cyber Essentials marks a valuable milestone. It protects against the most common cyber threats, reassures clients and insurers, and establishes
The unseen side of the internet Most business leaders are familiar with the internet they use every day: websites, emails, social platforms, and cloud
The IT Gap: When “Good Enough” Isn’t Enough Many small and medium-sized businesses rely on traditional IT support to keep things running. It’s a
4th Platform Partners with WatchGuard to Deliver FireCloud: Stronger Security, Less Effort Protect every worker, everywhere 4th Platform has partnered with WatchGuard to bring
The recent cloud outage at AWS, which caused downtime, data unavailability and shaken confidence, is a timely wake-up call for organisations of every size.
