It happens to the best of us.
As cybersecurity technology continues to evolve at an inspiring pace, cyberattacks and threats also grow in sophistication and devastation. Factor in the existential threat of AI-powered security breaches, and you paint a potentially scary picture of what the future of tech looks like.
It’s not that cybersecurity companies need to be reminded of these threats, but they do affect organizational priorities and what steps to take when things go awry. In these cases, it pays to be prepared and have cybersecurity PR firms in your corner if and when an attack or breach happens.
Rebuilding Trust
If you’re woken up in the middle of the night to discover a security breach or cyberattack, it’s easy to panic and automatically prepare for a worst-case scenario. That’s especially true if the attack involves stolen finances, user information, and other sensitive data that could severely impact operations.
While recovering stolen funds or sensitive data is obviously the main priority, the added pressure of reputation management can make these situations seem even grimmer. This is where cybersecurity PR firms step in to ensure such attacks and their consequences are communicated clearly and confidently to avoid reaching a boiling point in the public eye.
To be clear, we’re not talking about minimizing the scope of an attack. If anything, that will undoubtedly make a bad situation worse when the wider implications are uncovered. Rebuilding trust from clients and users is paramount in recovering from a cybersecurity breach, and having something to hide from step one does not inspire confidence.
Being forthcoming about the scale of the attack, which operational facets were affected, and which users were impacted is essential to communicate if that information is available. In public relations, we often talk about the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) that deteriorates a company’s reputation—and ambivalence or silence in high-stress situations feeds these pillars like nothing else.
It’s also helpful to zoom out and remember that no sector or facet within the tech industry is completely immune to attacks. In that sense, cybersecurity PR firms with years of experience under their belts can leverage connections and strategies from past crisis events to help companies navigate what feels like uncharted territory.
Don’t Wait Until a Crisis
While crisis management is a fundamental part of PR, hiring an agency or communications team before an attack takes place can help ease the tension when they do arise.
Cybersecurity PR firms can, for instance, help build brand messaging and trust between companies and their users from day one. That includes everything from shaping key ideas, building relationships with reporters, aiding stakeholder relations, and ironing out messaging that is both comprehensible and appealing to users.
All these PR elements work concurrently to build a foundation of trust and recognition in a company. If a journalist is only hearing about you when you’re in the middle of a crisis, it will take the focus away from your product or capabilities. Likewise, tailoring your messaging to terms that are understandable to journalists and key audiences can help bridge the knowledge gap and avoid unnecessary doubt in the event of a crisis.
It’s important to stress that good PR does not happen overnight, but bad PR can damage a company’s reputation in a matter of hours. Talented cybersecurity PR firms are well-equipped to handle a crisis situation no matter its severity. But to stop a crisis in its tracks, being proactive is always better than being reactionary. To see how a tech PR agency with years of experience can help build trust in your project from step one, contact us for a free consultation.
