Incident Response for a Multinational Chemical Producer Hit by Malware
Rapid Response, Executive Leadership Support & Transparent Crisis Management
A multinational chemical producer suffered a significant malware attack, disrupting critical business operations and raising concerns over data integrity, supply chain continuity, and regulatory compliance. The executive leadership team had limited experience in managing cyber incidents, creating uncertainty around decision-making, communication, and crisis response coordination. To contain the incident and drive a structured, transparent recovery, the company engaged us to provide strategic leadership, executive guidance, and cross-organisational coordination to ensure a rapid and effective resolution.
The incident was more than just a technical challenge. It was a business crisis. Without a structured incident response framework in place, the company faced operational disruption, potential regulatory scrutiny, and the risk of eroding customer trust. The situation was further complicated by the need to coordinate efforts across multiple stakeholders, including internal teams, external incident response firms, cyber insurance providers, and global customers expecting immediate transparency. The leadership team required expert support to ensure that the organisation's response was decisive, well-communicated, and focused on protecting both business continuity and reputation.
We immediately embedded within the company's executive leadership team, providing real-time strategic guidance on decision-making, regulatory considerations, and stakeholder engagement. Working in parallel with the technical incident response teams, we helped structure and prioritise containment, eradication, and recovery activities, ensuring alignment with business objectives. Our role was not just about overseeing technical remediation. It was about ensuring that executive leaders had the correct information to make informed decisions under pressure.
A key focus of our engagement was managing external communications and transparency with customers, regulators, and supply chain partners. Rather than allowing speculation and misinformation to spread, we developed a structured communication strategy, ensuring that messaging remained factual, clear, and aligned with regulatory expectations. We also acted as the primary liaison between the company, its cyber insurance provider, and the external incident response firm, ensuring that financial, legal, and operational considerations were fully integrated into the recovery process.
The impact was immediate. By bringing structured leadership to the incident response process, we enabled the company to contain the malware quickly, resume critical operations faster than anticipated, and maintain confidence among key stakeholders. Executive leaders gained clarity and confidence in their decision-making, ensuring a measured, transparent, and well-coordinated response. Customers, regulators, and supply chain partners received clear, fact-based communication, minimising reputational damage and reinforcing Trust.
By providing executive leadership support, cross-organisational coordination, and structured crisis management, we helped the company not only recover from the attack but also strengthen its overall cyber resilience. The lessons learned during the incident have since been used to develop a robust incident response framework, ensuring that leadership is better prepared for future threats.
Cyber incidents are business crises. Effective leadership and coordination make a difference. Let's talk.
