Nowadays protection of company’s data and support of its safety depend not only on technologies but also on effective transparent communication. Clients look for reliable solutions from authoritative companies with strong and transparent reputation more often. The question about data protection and information systems become the main as for big corporations, as for small businesses.

According to Gartner, people are the main reason for the majority of incidents of safety. Reputation of the company and its financial situation depend on each side`s interest (from top-management to co-workers), understanding the risks and knowledge of the algorithm of actions in case of crisis.

In circumstances of constantly changeable cybersecurities, the absence of properly established communication channels is able to cause serious consequences for the business. The results of the annual report show that two thirds of companies (67% in the world) had a bigger amount of cyberincidents in 2024. 43% of respondents lost existing clients (compared to 21% in 2023), 38% suffered negative publicity, 21% lost business-partners.

Today the reputation of the business is as important as physical assets. You can build it for years, invest money, but a small mistake or cyberattack can destroy it in minutes.

According to index of cybersecurity Cisco in 2024, the most common cyberattacks for companies are malware (76%) and phishing (54%), 37% of companies suffered from credential swapping. The role of  spreading false narratives (narrative attacks), which are increasingly difficult to detect, is growing. Misinformation and fakes that look like realistic videos and audios of leaders of the companies or workers generate false information and can have an influence on trust and  evaluation of the company.

Effective communication in the cybersecurity field provides next processes:

Incident response. When a cyberattack occurs, it is important to inform all participants in the process in a timely and clear manner to minimize damage. It is important to have predefined roles and action algorithms for rapid response to reduce the impact on business and reputation. A well-designed social media campaign that informs customers about all important steps and changes can significantly mitigate the negative consequences.

Security policy compliance and change management: Communicating clear and accessible security policies ensures that employees understand their responsibilities. Clear rules for password management and data processing help avoid breaches due to human error.

Awareness raising: regular explanations about common threats, like phishing or ransomware, create awareness among employees and make the risk of the mistakes lower. It’s valuable when сompany cares about the cybersecurity of its workers and conducts cooperative trainings.

As a result. Security defines trust and builds reputation. Clients, partners and other stakeholders must be sure that their datas are under reliable protection. When a company communicates its actions (software updates, improved threat detection systems, staff training), it creates an understanding that the organization takes cybersecurity seriously.

Let’s remind the case of the Kyivstar company when there was a major failure on December 12th 2023. PR-team reacted very quickly and the first messages about the situation appeared in an hour. PR-managers and CEO of the Kyivstar company communicated with the audience personally. There were updates of the situation in each social media every hour, communication took place even on Tik-Tok with memes. There wasn’t expected hate and Ukrainian businesses showed a huge support with a campaign “Kyivstar, hold on”.

Anticrisis communication has been lasting for 10 days and included the official position of the company and CEO, information about network recovery, fighting with fakes and information about consideration for the clients.

Reputation of the company has a direct influence on the trust in its products and services. Strong reputation is one of the best ways to attract the clients and the partners.

In spite of carefully designed ways of security, it’s impossible to avoid the threats completely. Modern users appreciate honesty and opening in relationships with companies. Public recognition of the problem, with all appropriate measures to correct the situation, helps to save reputation even after serious cyberattacks.