A business-driven need to prepare for cyber crises
Advania maintains critical IT environments for numerous organizations and is technically well prepared. However, the company's management saw the benefit of increasing the overall level of business preparedness to safeguard its reputation and business continuity.
Cyber crises are business-critical and affect all organizations and industries. Also, the security of Finland and citizens is at stake. Advania's management saw that the company's role as a trusted partner in IT environments is to lead the way and prepare for cyber threats in a business-oriented way.
Cyber crisis management should work like any other business process. Preparing for the triggering of cyber risks, both through mental and tactical practice, is an essential part of corporate responsibility, and it’s becoming one of the most valuable insurance policies for business continuity.
Cyber crisis management model and real-time simulation
Advania decided to pilot Netprofile’s H72 cyber crisis management model and the associated simulation training. The objective was to practice a cyber crisis situation from a business management perspective and to develop the skills needed in managing cyber incidents.
The H72 model focuses on preventing business risks of cyber attacks with information. Agile and responsive communication is used as a tool for mitigation, and smooth and systematic collaboration as a tool for managing the situation. Netprofile's strategy consultants have designed the model, including auditing and simulation, in consultation with cybersecurity experts, lawyers, regulators and service designers.
Netprofile created a recommendation for an organization-specific governance model and process for Advania, and designed and implemented a real-time simulation training. The framework takes into account 1) the requirements of reputation management, corporate social responsibility and business continuity, 2) the technical dimensions of cyber crisis and 3) the legal framework. Communication activities will be the measure of how effectively these different dimensions have been handled.
Taking crisis management capabilities to a new level
Within Advania's knowledgeable organization, the simulation took crisis management skills to a new level. This has been reflected in agility, clarity and certainty in emergency situations. The effectiveness and performance of the cyber crisis management team's collaboration increased significantly. Practicing stakeholder and media communication also improved the organization’s ability to manage their customers’ cyber incidents in a business-oriented manner.
Netprofile and Advania won the 2022 Finnish Communications Awards in the Coaching and Simulations category. At the EMEA Sabre Awards 2023, the jury named Netprofile as an innovative product development finalist in the demanding category of crisis management.
