In the wake of LockBit’s ransomware attack on Royal Mail, companies from all sectors are concerned with the increasingly aggressive and sophisticated threat of cyberattacks.  

FGS Global’s UK Crisis Communications Practice has thought through some best practices for companies assessing their cyber preparedness:

• Ransomware attacks are about people. Navigating a cyber incident requires strong and effective leadership.  With the power to damage an organization’s reputation with key audiences, companies must put the people who matter most (customers, employees, investors or partners) at the heart of its communications approach.

• Establish a policy on ransoms. Boards should get ahead of the issue by establishing a clear policy as part of their crisis and risk planning. This will help inform a company’s strategy and approach from the outset and can save valuable time in a crisis.

• Always have backups. A strong IT infrastructure and capability is critical to managing a cyber-attack. Availability and quality of backups in particular will determine how quickly a company can regain access to data and restore its systems.

• Make sure you are covered. Insurance is available to help companies recover from a cyber incident – but coverage needs to be paired with robust cyber hygiene and education to promote overall cyber resilience.

• The key to effective communications is preparation. Timely communications driven by informed and decisive leadership and institutional preparedness are key to an effective response to any breach. Companies need to establish a highly integrated cross-functional team and have a response protocol including a cyber communications plan.

For more information, watch the webinar here.