IT & Cyber Operations - Vital Function

Usual Vital Processes within IT & Cyber Operations

Activate Alternative Communication
Incident Detection & Response
Networks Isolation and Threat Containment
Minimal Infrastructure bootstrap
Initial Backup & Restoration (AD, Vault, Workspace, Git, etc.)
Enterprise Applications Backup & Restoration
Post Restoration Synchronisation & Testing

One successful Vital Process:  
Activate Alternative Communication

During a cyberattack or IT outage, businesses lose access to traditional communication channels such as corporate email and internal messaging platforms. If attackers compromise these systems, continuing to use them can expose sensitive information, worsen the breach, or delay critical decisions. Secure alternative communication methods must be activated immediately to coordinate response efforts safely.

A leading financial institution used Astran’s AlwaysReady® platform to quickly switch to secure communication alternatives, ensuring their crisis response team remained fully operational and coordinated, despite a widespread email system compromise.

Key steps in the process

Assess Communication Failure & Risk

Confirm whether corporate email and messaging systems are compromised or unavailable.

Activate Secure Email Alternative (ProtonMail)

Redirect crisis communications to an end-to-end encrypted email service.

Deploy Secure Chat (Signal)

Establish a safe internal messaging channel for teams to share updates and coordinate actions.

Distribute Emergency Access Credentials

Provide authorized personnel with pre-configured login details for alternative platforms.

Notify Key Stakeholders Securely

Use alternative channels to inform executives, security teams, and critical staff.

Monitor & Transition Back to Normal

Ensure all communications remain secure and recover primary systems once the threat is neutralized.