On Friday, 13 September 2019, Springboard MD Susie Horgan took part in an International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) panel discussion on Managing a Data Security Incident. Chaired by Philip Nathan, of Nathan Trust, Susie and fellow panellists, Ricky Kelly, Partner at Ronan Daly Jermyn, and Conor Gavin of BSI UK, discussed how organisations should prepare for a cyber incident from a tech, legal and PR perspective, and what to do when a breach happens.

@Susie_Horgan advising attendees that advance planning of their comms approach is essential to combat the worse effects of a data breach – #KnowledgeNet @RickyKellyRDJ @BSI_UK @Nathan_Trust @Springboard_PR #morethanlaw pic.twitter.com/AKDPWkuAOB

— Ronan Daly Jermyn (@RonanDalyJermyn) September 13, 2019

Key takeaways for organisations from the discussion included:

• It’s not if a cyber incident happens, it’s when
• Planning your comms approach in advance is essential to combating the worse effects of a data breach
• Get in front of the crisis – a quick, clear, honest response is key to maintaining customer trust and your reputation
• Practice, practice, practice – carry out simulations of how you and your team would respond to different scenarios
• Personal data is only one element of a cybersecurity breach – there’s also intellectual property, financial info, trade secrets etc. Get your legal, I.T. and comms teams involved at an early stage

How do you Manage a Data Security Incident? Interesting insights at@PrivacyPros KnowledgeNet Event this morning with @Susie_Horgan @Springboard_PR, Philip Nathan @Nathan_Trust, Conor Gavin @BSI_UK and RDJ Partner @RickyKellyRDJ #GDPR #IAPP pic.twitter.com/oOqpuqiHgm

— Cyber Ireland (@CyberIreland) September 13, 2019

Great morning at the @PrivacyPros KnowledgeNet Event "Managing Data Security Incidents" this morning. Great panel with @Susie_Horgan @Springboard_PR, Philip Nathan @Nathan_Trust, Conor Gavin @BSI_UK and RDJ Partner @RickyKellyRDJ #gdpr pic.twitter.com/hIqHhK9mZU

— Nathan Trust (@Nathan_Trust) September 13, 2019

For more information on how Springboard can help your organisation prepare for a cybersecurity incident, email susie@springboardcommunications.ie.