Cyber Incident Response: Why a 4-Hour Outage is a Business Event, According to Chirag Goswami

In a recent LinkedIn post, Chirag Goswami highlights the critical distinction between a technical glitch and a full-blown cyber incident, using a client’s experience to illustrate the severe business impact of system downtime.

Goswami recounts a scenario where a client initially dismissed escalating system issues as a minor server problem. However, the situation rapidly deteriorated, demonstrating how quickly an apparent technical inconvenience can transform into a significant business crisis. As Chirag Goswami notes:

“CRM is down.”
“Dashboard isn’t loading.”
“Website is slow.”

Everyone assumed it was a minor server issue. It wasn’t.

The post details the cascading effects of the outage, impacting core business functions. Sales teams were unable to progress deals, customer support faced insurmountable backlogs without access to crucial history, and management resorted to manual processes to maintain operations. Goswami emphasizes that the visible chaos was occurring while his team was actively engaged in critical incident response.

The Unfolding Business Impact Beyond Technical Issues

Chirag Goswami stresses that the consequences of such an event extend far beyond the immediate technical disruptions. While his team worked to trace the entry point, isolate affected systems, block malicious access, secure backups, and restore services, the client experienced significant non-technical damage. According to Chirag Goswami:

There was lost revenue.
Lost trust.
Lost productivity.

This perspective reframes system outages from mere IT problems to pivotal business events. Goswami argues that the duration and nature of the disruption dictate its classification.

The First Hour: A Critical Business Window

Goswami’s analysis points to the urgency and preparedness required during the initial phase of an incident. He poses a direct question to founders and CEOs, challenging their organizations’ readiness:

If you’re a founder or CEO, would your team know what to do in the first 60 minutes?

This rhetorical question underscores the importance of having a pre-defined incident response plan. Goswami suggests that proactive planning and a clear checklist for the crucial first hour can mitigate the extensive damage experienced by his client. He offers a practical resource for leaders seeking to bolster their preparedness.

The insights shared by Chirag Goswami serve as a stark reminder for business leaders about the pervasive risks of cyber incidents and the necessity of robust business continuity and incident response strategies. His post advocates for a shift in perspective, urging executives to view system outages through a business-critical lens rather than solely as technical challenges.