Managed IT services company tTech Limited has teamed up with international cybersecurity experts, Hitachi Systems Security Inc., to educate Jamaican businesses on the management of critical cyber incidents.

“This month we will have our annual TechCon event, and it’s apt that our focus is on building resilient cyber infrastructure strategies this year. The recent spike in ransomware attacks locally has made it apparent that there are some organisations that are unprepared to deal with critical incidents, which can effectively make or break their businesses.” explained tTech Limited CEO Norman Chen.

One of the strategies is creating a cyber-incident response plan to manage and recover from cyber attacks – something that the company said is generally lacking in Jamaica.

The business and technology conference TechCon, which is tTech’s flagship event, will feature a detailed presentation from Hitachi Systems Security on what tTech has noted is not just creating a cyber-incident response plan, but essentially “preparing for the inevitable”.

Explaining that the security landscape has changed over the past few decades, Chen shared that when it comes to cybersecurity, there is no question of whether there will be an incident but rather when will there be an incident and how impactful it will be for the business and its customers, consumers and/or clients.

A cyber-incident response plan is a guideline outlining the steps, the relevant personnel and contingencies for a company to activate in the event of a cyber attack.

And at least 170 TechCon attendees, including business leaders and IT and security experts from a broad range of industries, will receive an incident-response plan template courtesy of tTech Limited. Another 10 will also receive a dark web scan from tTech.

“Many organisations don’t see the need to implement these plans but it determines how fast a company can recover from a cyber attack, it can make the difference between spending thousands or millions recovering, it can mean reducing the risk of losing business due to reputational damage or even being out of business for weeks or months at a time. It is that critical,” Chen added.

Hitachi Systems Security’s incident response expert Michael Taylor stated: “Proactive cybersecurity readiness is crucial for companies. It involves ongoing assessment, planning, and security measures to mitigate risks and prepare for inevitable challenges. Staying ahead of threats enhances asset protection, reputation, and business continuity.”

The 2023 staging of TechCon by tTech, set for October 4, will be the 6th staging and will also feature informative sessions from global experts like Microsoft, ConnectWise, Fortinet and Cisco.