Using Technology to Enhance Crisis Communication

After 9/11 we had to rebuild everything in a week. We had a very very poor communications infrastructure. Desk phones and Cell phones didn’t work , Email didn’t work at all and we had to use AOL instant messenger as a vehicle for communication. By November of that year. I was in charge of running networks, email, market data and a number of other infrastructure services. My team and I were determined to use all the lessons learned from 911 to change the way that we prepared for crisis, that included building a back up email system with Radianz Inc with user syncing from AD, building cloud systems for trader voice with Telcos and B2B circuits with Radianz and building a global internet overlay network, which is run as a managed service by a Avaya to make sure we were ever in that situation again, we had the highest possible diversity at Layer 1, 2 or 3 and communication would just work. It saved us on the day of a major submarine cut in the Pacific Ocean in the early 2000s. This experience is what made Zscaler so appealing to me that I joined the company first as an advisor and then as a board member. These days ransomware attacks are as debilitating to businesses, as 9/11 was to Merrill Lynch. Many of the services you need such as detailed forensics expertise, external lawyers, ransomware negotiation experts, PR, Communications are locked up inside the ransomwared corporate infrastructure. A company has emerged that can solve the problem of where your response team should work, how you bring in your third party partners, how you get access to the services you need like video & audio conferencing, instant messaging, document signing, Microsoft Office that preserves FULL LEGAL PRIVILEGE, and contains the audit trail, the literal blow by blow as to who said what when, with what evidence/information and so on. They also have the platform for running Table Top exercises with the board, executives & inside crisis planning and Security/Privacy teams. That company is called CYGNVS , it was founded by Arvind Parthasarathi who previously founded Guidewire Software (formerly Cyence), and it is being distributed in a free version by major cyber insurance companies. There is also a full enterprise version available, with a lot more functionality and a lot more controls for Enterprise users. If you would like to learn more, by all means DM me your email and I will get you connected to the right folks or you can find Alton Gibbs at BlackHat #BlackHat #CrisisManagement #Board #CISO #COO #BCP

We've all experienced the chaos of navigating an outage, where time is of the essence, and efficiency is paramount. Picture this scenario: the CTO dives into the fray, seeking updates to brief the CEO, or a fresh responder scrambles to digest thousands of messages across Slack, GChat, or Teams, potentially derailing the troubleshooting team's focus. Or consider the disruption when incident commanders seek briefings, pulling focus from critical problem-solving efforts. This inefficiency is not just frustrating; it's a significant drain on resources during critical moments. Imagine a world where, with a mere click, AI technology—possibly even your own organization's AI—could provide a comprehensive summary of the situation in real-time. Think about the invaluable time that could be saved. Envision having the capability to inform any department within your company swiftly—be it sales, execution, or customer support—with the precise details they need regarding the incident. This is no longer a hypothetical. Welcome to the future. As companies have transitioned from monolithic software development to more dynamic microservices architectures, it's become clear that operational methodologies need to evolve as well. Enter Blameless. The introduction of the Incident Assistant feature within the Blameless platform marks a pivotal shift in operational efficiency. Offering instant insights into incident statuses, it transforms overwhelming communication streams into a succinct summary in a fraction of a second. This innovation spares new responders from the daunting task of poring over endless messages and allows for seamless, interruption-free troubleshooting. It enables incident communicators to deliver prompt, precise, and role-specific updates without impeding the troubleshooting process. Our clients are calling it a revolutionary change—a true game-changer in incident management.

The article on emergency communication systems highlights some valid concerns about the complexity and usability of certain technologies during real-world incidents, but it falls short of addressing the root issue: outdated, siloed technologies like radio systems. While radios have historically been a staple of emergency response, their limitations are glaring in today’s interconnected world. The Reality of Siloed Systems It's no surprise that a radio company would position this as a problem-solvable by doubling down on their own technology. However, radio systems alone fall short in modern safety and incident response scenarios. They lack key capabilities like: Situational Awareness: Radios rarely provide real-time visibility into the location of officers or the unfolding dynamics/context of an incident. Scalability: Radios are restricted to those who physically have one, leaving the broader community disconnected during critical events. Inclusivity: Radios are limited to a select few, leaving out broader community members who may need to send or receive urgent information. The article does raise an important point about irregular use leading to unfamiliarity, but the solution isn’t to perpetuate outdated, siloed systems. Instead, the focus should shift to platforms that connect entire communities and offer intuitive, real-time capabilities. SafeZone by CriticalArc: A Game Changer SafeZone redefines emergency communication by addressing these challenges head-on. It offers: Real-Time Situational Awareness: Every team member’s location and status is visible on a single platform, enabling faster, more informed decision-making. Comprehensive Coverage: SafeZone integrates everyone—security teams, staff, students, and the wider community—into a unified platform, ensuring no one is left out of the loop. Ease of Use: Familiarity is no longer an issue. SafeZone’s app-based approach mirrors the user-friendly interfaces people interact with daily, making adoption and usage intuitive. Scalability: Whether it’s a personal safety issue, a lone worker needing immediate assistance or a campus-wide emergency, SafeZone scales seamlessly to address both small-scale and large-scale incidents. Accountability and Auditing: Incident data is captured in real-time and stored for review, ensuring organizations can learn and improve from every response. Looking Forward, Not Backward Instead of clinging to fragmented, legacy systems, it’s time for organizations to embrace technology that connects and empowers entire communities. SafeZone represents the future of safety and communication—a platform that ensures everyone, not just a select few, has the tools they need when it matters most. By integrating modern, proven solutions like SafeZone, communities can overcome the limitations of siloed systems and move toward a safer, more connected future. Campus Safety Magazine International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators CriticalArc Anne Cynamon