Australia, Nov 11, 2024
In today’s interconnected world, service outages can have serious repercussions for any organisation, affecting operations, customer trust, and even compliance with regulations. When an outage occurs, the ability to respond swiftly and efficiently is critical to minimising downtime and reducing its impact. Without a clear plan, teams may make rushed decisions under pressure, leading to greater disruptions or prolonged recovery times.
This is where an outage/incidence response plan becomes invaluable. Such a plan provides a structured approach to managing the incident, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and steps for restoring services while maintaining effective communication with customers and stakeholders. By following a well-prepared plan, companies can reduce confusion, limit damage, and ensure they meet both business and regulatory expectations, all while reassuring customers that the situation is being handled effectively.
How Nous Group implemented an Incidence Response Plan
In July this year, a massive IT outage occurred across the globe caused by issues with a CrowdStrike software update.
Nous Group, is a broad international management consultancy with capabilities spanning strategy, organisational performance, leadership and capability, transformation and implementation, economics, public policy, data and analytics, digital and design. Founded in 1999 in Australia, it is now in five countries (Australia, New Zealand, UK, Ireland and Canada), with over 750 consultants. They identified that some of their users had a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). The in-house IT team quickly identified the link between BSOD and the CrowdStrike update on Friday afternoon which enabled Nous Group to act fast and minimise disruption to their 750 team members internationally.
Upon seeing the severity of the BSOD issue, Nous Group activated their incidence response plan. That included contacting CrowdStrike for advice and then rapidly deploying a system-wide change that prevented many laptops and servers from being impacted.
“This incident has put a spotlight on the importance of having robust incident response plans in place, as well as the value that partners, such as Logicalis and CrowdStrike, can provide with timely and transparent advice and assistance” said Veronica Hall, Head of Information Security and Risk, Nous Group.
“The power of the IT and security community was also on show as professional networks came together on channels like LinkedIn to share regular updates, suggestions and well wishes for those affected by the incident,” Veronica continued.
The Nous Group were able to fix most impacted laptops remotely, though team members were encouraged to go into their local offices on Monday to resolve any outstanding issues. Once all the BSOD issues had been resolved, the latest CrowdStrike patch was deployed company-wide on Tuesday morning.
How to Create an Effective Incident Response Plan
To develop a solid outage/incident Response Plan, start by securing support from senior management. Testing the outage/incident response plan is also crucial—regular practice keeps the team prepared and reduces errors during real incidents. Each instance is unique, so while the response plan should outline clear steps, it also needs flexibility. Review and adjust it at least twice a year to stay ahead of evolving threats. Finally, establish a clear chain of command so everyone knows who to notify, whether it’s stakeholders, partners, or senior management.
What can we learn from this?
Having a well-structured outage response plan is essential for minimising the negative impacts of service disruptions. Such a plan ensures that teams can respond swiftly and effectively, preventing rushed decisions that could worsen the situation. By clearly defining roles and responsibilities and maintaining transparent communication with customers and stakeholders, organisations can limit damage, meet regulatory requirements, and reassure their customers that they are handling the outage with care and professionalism. A solid response plan not only safeguards operations but also helps preserve trust and business continuity.