When it comes to whether your business will experience a cyber crisis, it’s not a question of if, but when. Today, a cyber attack strikes every 39 seconds, resulting in more than 2,000 attacks per day. One cyber crisis can destroy a company’s reputation, operations and financial standing. 

As cyber threats have gotten more sophisticated, so have the tools businesses are using to defend against them. Out of band incident response and communication capabilities are gaining traction as security and business leaders recognize the importance of having a safe haven to respond to a crisis that’s not connected to a company’s standard communication channels which may be compromised by threat actors.  

Like all cybersecurity technology, not all out of band communications solutions are created equal. Some platforms designed for general collaboration and messaging claim to offer “cyber crisis communications” and are just rebranding to capitalize on market demand. 

But with so much marketing noise how can you separate pretenders from true contenders? And can repurposed tools really deliver the security and reliability you need in a cyber crisis?

Why are out of band Communications critical in a cyber crisis

Out of band communications are critical when a cybersecurity incident threatens an organization’s primary network and communication channels. In that high stakes situation having a secure, reliable way to communicate outside the compromised network is critical to minimize damage, coordinate a response and prevent further breaches. This is especially important for national security as confidentiality and security during those crises is key to protecting sensitive information and public safety.

While many communication platforms now offer “out of band” capabilities, they often fall short on data integrity and hiding information from prying eyes during a cyber incident. These tools are designed for open communication and collaboration and may have vulnerabilities that expose organizations to more risk than they realize.

The rise of “me too” cybersecurity solutions

With the rise of cyber attacks many traditional collaboration platforms are rebranding their solutions as “cyber crisis ready”. But look closer and you’ll see otherwise. These platforms were built for productivity and collaboration not security. Adding security to a platform designed for openness often means compromised functionality; these solutions are not designed to handle the intense demands of a cyber crisis.

ShadowHQ: purpose-built out of band communications for cyber crisis management

ShadowHQ was built from the ground up with cybersecurity in mind. Unlike other platforms that treat out of band communications as an afterthought, we designed every feature to meet the specific needs of cyber crisis management to ensure that our customers have secure, resilient and private communication when it’s needed most. 

As a cybersecurity solutions buyer, there are several criteria you can consider to help you narrow down your search and vet solution providers:

1. Look for dedicated security features for high risk situations — ShadowHQ’s out of band platform has unique encryption keys and multi-layered authentication protocols so every conversation, file and piece of information is private and yours alone. These aren’t check-the-box features – they’re purpose-built, and rigorously tested protection against targeted cyber attacks.

2. Ensure the solution provides crisis communication infrastructure — ShadowHQ doesn’t sit on the same network as your primary systems which is critical when they’re under attack. ShadowHQ’s out of band network is separate, highly resilient and isolated so teams can operate safely without fear of eavesdropping or data leakage. In a cyber attack this independence is critical for uninterrupted communication when time is of the essence.

3. Vet that the solution can support your organization’s business continuity, disaster recovery and operational teams — Cyber crisis management is a team sport; ShadowHQ’s platform is flexible enough to support many other critical teams including business continuity, disaster recovery and crisis management. Cyber crises don’t just impact IT and security teams; they can impact every layer of the organization. By providing out of band communications across multiple teams, ShadowHQ ensures everyone from executives to recovery managers can stay connected, coordinated and informed during a cyber attack.

4. Verify that the solution meets and supports regulatory compliance and data protection requirements — Unlike generic platforms, ShadowHQ’s solution meets regulatory standards for data protection and secure communication. Our platform is SOC2 Type I and Type II compliant so you have an extra layer of assurance your data is secure and compliant during a crisis.

5. Confirm that the solution is scalable and can be customizable to your business’s needs over time — ShadowHQ is customizable to your organization’s unique needs and use cases, regardless of whether you have a small team or are running a global enterprise. We know different industries have different security needs and our platform scales to match, something a rebranded collaboration application can’t.

Why rebranding out of band solutions falls short in cybersecurity

When collaboration applications are rebranded to claim cybersecurity features, organizations are left with a false sense of security. These platforms may have added some encryption or extra access controls but their core is designed for productivity not crisis security. This can lead to unexpected vulnerabilities especially in a live attack scenario when privacy, security and reliable access matter most. For organizations that use these tools during a breach the cost could be devastating.

Choose ShadowHQ: A solution that’s been tested in a cyber crisis

In a cyber crisis every second counts and so does every decision. ShadowHQ is designed to be a fortress for secure communication, built to withstand cyber attacks while keeping your team connected. There’s no room for compromise. Using tools that weren’t designed for these high stakes scenarios is a risk you don’t have to take.

If you’re serious about protecting your organization during a cyber crisis choose a solution that’s serious about security. Choose ShadowHQ—a platform built to withstand the toughest challenges in cybersecurity, supporting not only your cyber response team but business continuity, disaster recovery and crisis management teams when it matters most.

See how ShadowHQ compares to popular cyber incident management platforms, digital forensics platforms, business continuity tools and crisis and emergency management platforms, and book a personalized demo today to see the ShadowHQ platform in action.