Establishing Internal and External Roles After a Cybersecurity Breach
In many small and mid-sized businesses, there is no Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Some companies don’t even have a dedicated security team. That raises a difficult but crucial question: who takes charge when a cyber breach happens?
According to Sean Mack, Managing Director of ISMG’s CXO Advisory Service, the answer doesn’t have to be complicated. What matters most isn’t the title of the leader, but the presence of a single, empowered decision-maker.
The Need for a Central Point of Command
“What’s important is not which one of those leaders it is, but that it is one person, and that they’re designated to have the authority and decision-making capability to make decisive decisions and take action in a high-pressure situation,” Mack says.
In some companies, this may be the CIO. In others, it may be the CTO or even the head of IT operations. The point is that one person must be designated in advance with the authority to act decisively. When a breach hits, fragmented decision-making only breeds confusion and delay.
The Role of External Partners
That internal leader is responsible for rallying the response, but they don’t have to go it alone. Mack strongly advises engaging external expertise early. Many small businesses don’t have the depth of knowledge required to handle sophisticated attacks. Bringing in a fractional CISO or a specialized incident response firm ensures that investigations, containment, and eradication are handled properly.
Legal and Insurance Involvement
Legal and insurance partners also play a pivotal role.
“Other teams you want to consider getting involved are your legal counsel—make sure they’re involved—as well as your insurance provider,” Mack explains. “The insurance provider may even have requirements about the cybersecurity support and engagement model, so you want to engage them early and follow their instructions.”
Legal counsel should be looped in immediately. Regulations around breach notifications can be complex, and mistakes can lead to lawsuits or fines. A lawyer can guide communications and ensure the company complies with industry-specific and state-level requirements. Cyber insurance providers should also be contacted early. Many have detailed requirements for how breaches must be handled, and ignoring them could jeopardize coverage.
Post-Breach Essentials for Small Businesses
ISMG CXO Advisory Practice’s Sean Mack on Immediate Actions and Long-Term Recovery
Internal Clarity, External Strength
Mack emphasizes that effective leadership after a breach requires clarity and speed. Having one person empowered to make calls, supported by external specialists, prevents delays. The worst mistake is assuming that decisions can be made collectively in the heat of a crisis.
Small businesses can prepare now by designating their breach leader, engaging external partners ahead of time, and reviewing incident response protocols. By aligning internal and external roles before the first alarm sounds, companies can respond with confidence when—not if—a breach occurs.