Preparing for a Crisis

Question

Required Materials Word processing software
In this activity, you’ll assume the role of a corporate crisis manager and create pre-planned responses for the various types of crises that might potentially arise.
Step 1: Choose a Crisis In Lesson 1, you were presented with a list of potential crises, including cybersecurity threats and natural disasters. Choose a crisis from that list or brainstorm other ideas for a crisis that might occur in a small design company.
Step 2: Compose an Email Response With your chosen crisis in mind, compose an email to a group of your stakeholders such as customers, vendors, employees, or investors—or you can write to just one set of stakeholders, such as employees only.
Design your communication to carefully cover these topics in sufficient detail: Explain the situation Express concern Give instructions Describe corrective action

Answer 1

Email Subject: Important Update Regarding Recent Cybersecurity Incident

Dear Team,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you about a recent cybersecurity incident that has affected our company’s operations and data security.

Explanation of the Situation: Earlier this morning, we detected unusual activity on our network, which prompted our IT team to immediately initiate a security investigation. It appears that unauthorized access was gained to a segment of our internal systems. At this point, our preliminary assessment indicates that no sensitive customer data has been compromised; however, we are taking this matter very seriously and are continuing our investigation to ensure all necessary precautions are taken.

Expressing Concern: I want to assure you that we are deeply concerned about the impact this incident may have on you, our valued employees. Your trust and security are our top priority, and we understand how unsettling it can be to learn about a cybersecurity issue. Please know that we are committed to addressing this situation swiftly and effectively.

Instructions:

1. Change Your Passwords: Effective immediately, please change your passwords for all work-related accounts, ensuring they are strong and unique.

2. Stay Vigilant: Remain alert for any suspicious emails or messages. If you receive anything unusual, do not open attachments or click on links and report it to the IT department right away.

3. Follow Updates: We will provide regular updates on our investigation and any actions you may need to take. Please keep an eye on your email for further communications from management.

Corrective Action: In response to this incident, we have engaged a team of cybersecurity experts to perform a comprehensive assessment of our systems and enhance our security measures. We are also implementing additional training for all employees on best practices for cybersecurity.

Please know that we are fully committed to resolving this issue and protecting our company and consumer data. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we navigate this challenging situation.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office directly.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Design Company Name]
[Contact Information]