Perspectives: Why Cybersecurity Is Now Our Business, Too

(MENAFN- PRovoke) After attending multiple cybersecurity conferences, I've noticed one simple thing: communications professionals have no voice in the room, are not invited, and don't initiate participation themselves. I've rarely seen fellow communicators at cybersecurity events, apart from the occasional PR managers representing a cybersecurity company.

And yet, we all know that during a cyber incident, recovery doesn't depend solely on the tech team. Case after case shows that effective communication with stakeholders – the ability to deliver the right messages and protect reputation – is just as critical as restoring technical systems after an attack.

Meanwhile, according to research from 2023, 75% of consumers would stop purchasing from a brand that has suffered a cyberattack, making cyber crises one of the most damaging threats to corporate reputation.

Here's an uncomfortable question: how often do your company's PR or comms professionals attend a cybersecurity conference? Better yet – when was the last time you even spoke to someone from your company's cyber team?

Thought so.

What Ukrainian war-tested experience taught us

As a PR agency in a country at war, we understand the true value of fast, coordinated action when a crisis hits.

Recently, Ukrainian state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia, serving up to 100,000 passengers daily, was hit by a cyberattack. All online services, including ticket sales and cargo operations, were down for several days. Yet passengers were promptly informed through multiple channels about alternative solutions, offline ticket offices were reinforced with additional staff, and train schedules remained uninterrupted. The comms team also volunteered at the train station, helping direct the flow of people.

Given that Ukraine currently has no flight connections and railways are the primary mode of transport for millions, such a swift and seamless response demanded the coordination of thousands of people across multiple departments. After years of war and being among the top targets of cyberattacks, Ukraine has learned the importance of cybersecurity the hard way.

This spring, we launched a nationwide survey to assess whether Ukrainian companies are prepared to communicate during a cyberattack.

It turned out that despite Ukraine's hard-earned expertise in managing crises, many organizations still lack sufficient preparation for cyber and information threats. According to the survey, 62% of respondents lack a clear action strategy during a cyber crisis; 39% don't have a dedicated crisis communication plan; only one-third reported being fully prepared, with trained response teams and designated spokespersons; and 41% have no practical training programs in place.

Notably, companies that have already experienced cyberattacks show significantly higher levels of preparedness: they conduct regular simulations and have fully integrated crisis communication plans in place.

А global blind spot

This isn't just a Ukrainian problem. Global studies reveal a similar pattern: fewer than half of organizations conduct tabletop exercises that include all teams typically involved in a cyber crisis. Risk managers or business continuity departments almost never invite the comms team to discuss potential crises, take part in risk mapping, or develop recovery strategies together.

Cyber threats go far beyond website hacks and ransom demands. Information and bot-driven attacks on a company, employee-targeted phishing, and even zero-click exploits (like the one that hit WhatsApp customers in January this year) can all deal serious damage to a brand's reputation.

Crisis communications is multidisciplinary: whether it's a bot attack, data breach, or disruption of online services, each incident impacts multiple stakeholders, and requires coordination across multiple areas of expertise to manage effectively.

Moreover, cyber threats don't respect borders. They're global, and they're growing. According to the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 report by the World Economic Forum, one in three CEOs cite cyber espionage and loss of sensitive information or intellectual property as their top concern, 45% of cyber leaders worry about disruption to operations and business processes.

Recent attacks on global brands and critical infrastructure – Marks & Spencer, Coca-Cola, Cartier, and others – make one thing clear: no company is invulnerable. The future of your business depends on how efficiently your tech, business, and communication teams can respond together.

Cyber crisis comms checklist

To prepare for the inevitable, it's vital to have:

• A dedicated, cross-functional crisis team that includes top management, legal, PR, Business Continuity and cybersecurity experts
• Designated spokespersons authorized to speak during a crisis
• Backup communication channels, in case your primary ones go down or are compromised
• Pre-drafted messaging frameworks for stakeholders, with clear stages of escalation
• Real-time coordination and transparent communication throughout and after the incident.

So who owns the response?

You can't prepare for the unknown. I don't know a single cybersecurity specialist who will proactively walk over to the PR team and explain the nuances of their job. That initiative must come from us.

It's time for PR professionals to be the driving force of awareness before the crisis hits. Because the question isn't if it will – it's when.

Talk to your colleagues. Schedule meetings. Ask for updates. Map the risks. Let them know they're part of the crisis response team.

In the age of escalating cyber threats, communication is no longer a support function – it's an essential part of the frontline defense. PR professionals must stop seeing cybersecurity as someone else's job. Silence is not a strategy. Collaboration is. The time to act is before the breach.

Julia Petryk is the CEO and co-founder of Calibrated agency, and co-founder of the Ukrainian PR Army and a leader of the Tech PR School. She has been recognized by Provoke Media as one of the Innovator 25 in EMEA , and is a recipient of the Future is Female Award. In 2024, she became the first Ukrainian woman to serve as a jury member in the PR category at Cannes Lions.

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