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Messages from the archive of Rutherford Hall, critical communications strategist
WhatsApp to Stephen: All this talk of cyber hacking is making me wonder if we’re missing an opportunity.
WhatsApp to Stephen: Obviously I don’t mean that. I can’t even connect to the printer. No, I mean all our clients are obsessed by cyber attacks. They are either getting whacked by hackers or, more profitably for us, are terrified of getting whacked by hackers. We should offer a new crisis comms service.
WhatsApp to Stephen: No, there are IT and cyber specialists for the system response, that’s not what we do. But this is a crisis for these businesses and I think we can market something special. The big thing is that most of the people who run big firms have absolutely no clue about tech. They don’t understand cyber and have to get their kids to upload apps on their phone. Or download . . . whatever. So they are at the mercy of techies and lawyers, and they cock up the comms.
LinkedIn: What is the greatest threat to your business TODAY? Not in six months, not in the medium term but today. Cyber crime. We barely hear of a fraction of what is happening but it is a crisis for businesses and one that is too often devolved to IT staff until it is too late. All businesses need an action plan they can set in train the moment this happens to them. Because by the time you are in this crisis it is already too late for planning. And I’m not just talking about tech and cyber experts. I’m talking about every aspect of the business and how you communicate with customers, staff, suppliers, the government — everything.
That’s why Monkwell has created our own Cyber Swat team to place at the disposal of any client who needs it. Hackers are often in your system for months before you know. Tomorrow’s crime may have already happened to you.
WhatsApp to PhilK@LK&W: Oh no Phil, I’m sorry to hear this. We’ll head over now but in the meantime I’ll send you a memorandum on first principles. PS you will understand if we don’t click on any emails from you for a bit. Text or call only. I’ll deliver the bill by hand 🙂
WhatsApp to All@monkwell: Swat team assemble.
From [email protected]
Hi Phil, as I said on the phone here are our starting points. You can ignore point one since it was about how to avoid this.
1. Don’t wait. Get top cyber security staff. Get insurance. Assess vulnerabilities. Run courses.
2. I’m not saying pay these people off but you might want to get a bitcoin stash together to pay these people off. The ransom could easily be a rounding error for a business like yours, compared with the months of hell others have endured. But remember — you can never be sure they’ve really gone away. You are dealing with criminals.
3. Be transparent quickly. Especially if you aren’t paying them off. If word gets out and you haven’t been upfront with the information commissioner it will stymie your efforts to regain the confidence of your shareholders, customers, suppliers etc. You will take a hit, but if people believe you are being open you have more chance of controlling the narrative. Announce it yourself before it leaks, or you are on the defensive from day one. And don’t let your IT people near the media. They can’t stick to a script.
4. Do you have the best cyber specialists? Pay top whack to get them. Not easy — everyone seems to be working for Nato at the moment.
5. There is no other problem; nothing else matters now.
More to follow, Best, Rutherford
Find me on Strava, KoM Sydenham Hill, London to Brighton 3 hrs 04m, Al Jubailah/Bawdah Loop — 42 mins
WhatsApp to Stephen: Our first customer. Get this right and the money will come rolling in.
WhatsApp to PhilK: You need to get someone to walk you through every aspect. Ideally you’d not be mid-crisis before you find out how your systems work. But that horse has bolted.
WhatsApp to PhilK: NO! Don’t announce the problem is sorted until you are certain it is. This feels very quick to me. The public is sympathetic if you get hacked but you are asking for people’s credit card details. Make sure you are sure. You aren’t a government minister. You can’t keep re-announcing the same promise.
WhatsApp to Swat team: We need to get Phil on a crash course on his systems. It’s amazing how people can run a business and know nothing about tech these days.
WhatsApp to Janet: Janet help. I can’t get into my laptop. Won’t recognise my password. I think I’ve been hacked.
WhatsApp to Janet: Don’t worry. I’d left the caps lock on.
WhatsApp to Janet: Thanks. I guess some of us have a feel for troubleshooting tech issues!
Messages recovered by Robert Shrimsley
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