Overcoming Fear During a Crisis by Leveraging a Managed Service Provider

Within the realm of cybersecurity, the significance of human emotions, notably fear, is paramount when analyzing responses to critical incidents. Fear likely played a role in shaping the decision-making processes following the CrowdStrike-related IT outage, the SolarWinds supply chain attack, and the MGM Resorts cyberattack, potentially causing delays that further intensified the consequences of these occurrences.

During the CrowdStrike IT outage, which disrupted industries globally, fear may have contributed to hesitation in addressing the root cause swiftly. The potential for financial loss and the complexity of the situation could have induced a fear of making the wrong decision, delaying the response and increasing the overall damage. Similarly, in the SolarWinds attack, the sophisticated nature of the breach likely induced fear of acting prematurely without full information, causing delays in detection and allowing attackers to exploit the vulnerability extensively. In the case of MGM Resorts, the initial misidentification of the cyberattack as a technical issue may have been driven by fear of public backlash and reputational harm, delaying a more robust response and deepening the crisis.

These incidents highlight a common theme: fear—whether of making the wrong decision, of reputational damage, or of career repercussions—may have played a significant role in delaying action. These delays often lead to prolonged incidents, higher costs, and greater overall impact. Addressing this challenge requires fostering a culture that empowers decision-makers to act decisively, supported by robust and regularly tested incident response plans.

Partnering with managed service providers (MSPs) like Symmetry IT for support services can be crucial in overcoming these fear-induced delays. These vendors offer specialized expertise and rapid incident response capabilities, ensuring that organizations can respond effectively to cyber threats without the paralysis that fear can bring. By leveraging these partnerships, organizations can enhance their resilience and better protect themselves from the devastating effects of cybersecurity incidents.