Cyber Security and Business Continuity: The stats & the steps

As the relationships between businesses and customers move increasingly online, last week’s denial-of-service attack on HSBC was a stark reminder of how dangerous cyber attacks have become. ICT continuity has quickly risen to become a top business and policy priority, and essential to safeguarding organisational survival.

Most organisations, regardless of size or sector, are dependent on their ICT infrastructure to deliver products and services. Any disruption can negatively impact operational capability, and by extension, do damage to reputation, profitability and even potential for future growth.

Has social media changed strategic-level crisis response? Part Two

By Dominic Cockram 

Part 2 – Yes

After reading Sarah’s response to this question earlier this week, I have to disagree with her conclusions. I think that social media has changed many aspects of a strategic-level response.  However, there are many layers of complexity to this and it is never as straightforward as it seems.

Firstly, it depends on your brand and business.  If you are in retail and fashion then there is a huge shift in the way the strategic team now responds when driven by a social media storm.  Firstly they feel they now need to get decisions out there quickly and show action taking place, they are now listening to what they hear (or they should be) from their detractors and their supporters and using that information to drive and inform their decisions in many cases.  For them, crisis response has undergone a significant change as a direct consequence of social media.

How To…Manage your social media in a crisis

There are numerous ways in which social media can (and will) play an integral role for your organisation during a crisis. Social media has been known to both amplify and even start incidents that may result in reputational damage. However, if managed appropriately, it can also be used to communicate with customers and mould public perception.

This guide covers the key points you should consider when engaging with social media during a crisis.

Number 1: HAVE A PLAN

Think how many times you’ve rehearsed for a tangible crisis, a bomb drill, a fire evacuation. Like it or not, social media is now an integral part of life and business. If you use any aspects of social media ensure it is included in your Crisis Communications Plan and rehearsed to trouble-shoot any pitfalls.

Cyber Security and the 2012 Olympics

With just one week to go until the Opening Ceremony, London is buzzing! The summer Olympics in London offer an incredible opportunity for athletes, spectators and whole nations to come together in celebration of sporting achievement. Unfortunately, the London 2012 Games will also offer a unique opportunity for criminals to defraud large numbers of people. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it was reported that China suffered 12 million online attacks per day, and officials at this summer’s London Olympics have already reported 124 known scams that have targeted millions of consumers. In the past four months, fraudulent activity targeting smartphones has increased by 800% in the UK, which has been linked to the fast-approaching Olympic Games. Smartphones offer a new, easily targeted and particularly vulnerable chink in the armour of cyber security.