Recently, several European airports have fallen victim to ransomware attacks. A cyber incident like that can happen to anyone. In those critical moments, preparation makes all the difference in limiting the damage. An Incident Response Plan is therefore indispensable.
Cyber incidents can affect anyone. Almost half of Belgian companies were victims of cybercrime in 2024. This is according to consultant BDO's Business Barometer based on a survey of more than 500 companies. This includes not only phishing, but also IT systems affected by a virus or data breaches. Contrary to popular belief, not only large companies are targeted; SMEs are also at risk.
The consequences of cyber incidents are significant. If company data - for example, data about customers - falls into the wrong hands, it leads to reputational damage and financial claims.
But they can also disrupt your operational activities. This often involves ransomware, where cybercriminals hold your systems hostage and only release them after paying a ransom. If you don't pay, restoring your systems takes time and you lose revenue in the meantime.
Be prepared with a Security Incident Response Plan
When a cyber incident occurs, every second counts. A Security Incident Response Plan provides a clearly defined, structured approach that tells your employees exactly what steps to take to contain the threat and recover quickly.
Such a plan helps prevent panic-driven reactions and ensures your organisation can respond calmly, effectively and in a coordinated way.
What makes an effective Incident Response Plan?
An effective Security Incident Response Plan should meet the following conditions:
1. Immediately actionable
Your plan should be practical, not theoretical, tailored to your company’s specific needs, business processes and IT environment. It must outline a concrete series of steps, assign clear responsibilities and provide contact details, so everyone knows exactly what to do. That clarity saves valuable time when it matters most.
2. Always up to date
Your business and IT landscape constantly evolve, and so do cyber threats. Your Security Incident Response Plan must therefore be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect new risks, technologies and organisational changes. Only then will it remain effective in a real-world incident.
3. Tested and validated
A plan that’s never tested is as good as no plan at all. Just as you run fire drills to ensure everyone knows how to respond to a fire, you should conduct regular simulations of cyber incidents. Afterwards, evaluate what went well and what needs improvement. This continuous testing ensures your organisation becomes even more resilient over time.
Ongoing protection with Managed Cyber Defense
A Security Incident Response Plan is just one element of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. At Cheops, we take an integrated approach through Managed Cyber Defense, continuously monitoring your IT environment, proactively detecting new threats and minimising the risk of incidents.
Should an incident occur, our experts ensure a fast and effective response to limit the impact and restore operations as quickly as possible.
As part of our Managed Cyber Defense service, we work with you to develop a tailored Security Incident Response Plan, regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the NIS2 compliance requirements.
Looking for peace of mind?
Get in touch with our experts for a no-obligation consultation.