The Noggin Blog

In the aftermath of the US Capitol attacks, critics dissected the security response – a failure to predict leading to a sluggish, reactive response. And that’s often how we review incidents of civil unrest, through the prism of security operations. But we might be missing something crucial by this limited focus – namely the role of crisis management in securing key assets. 

The recent Capitol riots in the US shouldn’t have surprised anyone. Civil unrest leading to attacks on places of mass gathering, particularly government buildings and other venues of high symbolic value, have only increased in recent times. How to protect these venues of mass gathering?

*If you'd like to discuss your client portfolio, existing implementations, and/or how to take Noggin forward with your customers, please contact us at partners@noggin.io to schedule a meeting.

In the age of COVID-19, cyber security incidents are on the rise. Last year saw a 400 percent increase in cyber attacks, with a staggering 80 percent of companies reporting an annual increase.

Of course, cyber risk was worsening before the pandemic, too. Insider threats alone jumped by 47 percent between 2018 and 2020. The question now is what’s your client’s plan to respond to cyber security incidents? Too much else on their plate? Here’s what your clients need to know to get prepared.

2020 was the year of the pandemic. But though COVID-19 garnered the headlines, 22 other disasters shattered records. Cumulatively, those billion-dollar disasters might say more about the future of emergency management than anything else.

What exactly? 

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, safety teams have been working overtime to mitigate risk, ensure a safe work environment, all in compliance with the employer duty of care obligation. But that work won’t end even when the pandemic is over.

Indeed, PCBUs (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking) have a legal obligation to ensure the health and safety of staff. That duty of care obligation never ends. So, how to maintain the obligation in the midst of a crisis, emergency, or other business continuity incident? 

It was mere months ago that a bomb threat gripped Australian schools. But already, educational institutions and other organisations might be forgetting the lessons.

While those threats turned out to be hoaxes, the risk remains real. How to prepare your organisation? 

*If you'd like to discuss your client portfolio, existing implementations, and/or how to take Noggin forward with your customers, please contact us at partners@noggin.io to schedule a meeting.

Now, in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, it might seem like the demand for business continuity plans (BCPs), processes, programs, and services will never end. But we’ve been here before, namely after the 11 September 2001 terror attacks when demand spiked but then plummeted. How, then, to help your clients build a sustainable case for business continuity management?

COVID-19 has brought with it a rash of illegal cyber activity against high-profile targets. The worst part is there’s no end in sight. What’s to be done? In Australia, for one, policymakers are honing in on revisions to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018.

What to expect in this new year, and what broader lessons will there be for the global security sector?

Emergency managers are well acquainted with the after action review, a qualitative evaluation of actions taken to respond to a given emergency. A staple of the recovery process, the after action review provides the best means of identifying best practices, gaps, and lessons learned, so as to respond better next time.

However, the COVID-19 crisis was a shock to the system. Normal processes were upended; plans turned out to be inadequate. How to do better next time? 

It’s the new year, and you’ve made the commitment to build (or enhance) your safety culture. Only problem is your contractors and suppliers haven’t made the same commitment to prioritise their safety culture. Why does it matter and what can you do about it?