How would your staff and your business handle dealing with a cyber-related incident? We’ve created a cyber incident response pack for North West businesses, these documents will help your business plan its response to a cyber incident.

The ‘Incident Response Pack’, produced In partnership with the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, features checklists and guidance on emergency contacts that organisations may need in the face of a security breach.

The pack has been launched following data from the department for digital, culture, media and sport which found that only 19% of businesses and 22% of charities have a formal incident response plan in place.

The new documents are “best suited” for small businesses or charities that don’t have an existing plan in place and want to create one, but they can also complement any existing plans. The five-part pack includes an emergency contact list template and covers the legal implications of a cyber incident for businesses.

The checklists included in the guide will that businesses to consider the full spectrum of possibilities – from undertaking weekly IT security checks to ensuring you are testing your staff's response to incidents.

Director of North West Cyber Resilience Centre, Neil Jones, said:

“Since we launched the Cyber Resilience Centre in 2019, we have focused on providing businesses with practical guidance and support on how to become more cyber resilient. The Incident Response Guide is an extension of this; we are thankful for the Scottish Business Resilience Centre and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit working with us so businesses can pick it up and use it straight away."

“We have seen an increase in the number of cyber-attacks on businesses in the North West and it’s important businesses remember the threat remains very real and can bring your business to a standstill. Cyber attacks can cause you significant financial repercussions and reputational damage."

“Businesses need to be proactive when it comes to protecting themselves, this new guide will ensure they not only understand the benefit of being proactive when it comes to online security but also ensure that their staff are aware of the role they play too – particularly when new staff are welcomed into a business.”

The pack also features contributions from the law firm Irwin Mitchell, their guidance ensures businesses are aware of the key commercial and legal implications of a cyber incident.

Businesses can download the Cyber Incident Response Pack here.