Mastering Risk Assessment: Your Three-Step Risk Radar
Crisis management in IT starts long before crises. Effective IT risk management follows three steps:
-
Identify threats
- Cyberattacks, hardware failures, human error and supply chain cracks.
-
Analyse impact
- Use risk matrices to assess potential damage and likelihood.
-
Prioritise and act
- Patch critical holes first. Enforce zero-trust access.
Proactive IT risk management stops disasters before they start, ensuring business continuity.
Step |
Action |
Identify |
Spot risks like cyberattacks |
Analyse |
Assess impact with tools |
Mitigate |
Implement preventative measures |
Crisis Management in Action: From Panic to Plan
When chaos strikes, IT managers follow a clear three-phase crisis response strategy:
Phase 1: Prepare
- Develop incident response plans
- Ensure hourly backups
- Draft communication templates
- Conduct mock fire-drills with team
Phase 2: Respond
- Isolate security breaches in under 10 minutes
- Activate Slack war rooms
- Send hourly updates to stakeholders
Phase 3: Learn
- Restore systems
- Analyse root causes
- Refine future crisis strategies
Example: In a ransomware attack, rapid isolation is key to control.
Real-World Wins: How IT Managers Save the Day
IT managers = profit protectors during crises
Crisis |
Action |
Saved |
Phishing attack |
Trained staff and AI monitoring |
$2 million in stolen data |
Data centre flood |
Transferred data to Barcelona servers |
99.9% uptime |
Ransomware demand |
Restored clean backups within 2 hours |
Reputation and $500,000 |
Companies with crisis-ready IT cut downtime costs by 40%. IT managers shine in these areas:
- Preventing breaches: Proactive scans stop data leaks before they happen.
- Minimising downtime: Geo-redundant systems ensure continuity during disasters.
- Containing attacks: Training and AI monitoring halt phishing attempts.
Companies with crisis-ready IT teams reduce downtime costs by 40%, as per IBM, highlighting the role of IT managers in crisis management.
Build your crisis-ready skills at GBS Malta

Master technical skills with our BSc (Hons) Computer Science and Information Technology, covering cybersecurity and system design. You can learn about network fortification and failover systems.
There is an opportunity to upskill your expertise by joining our MSc Information Technology Management program to successfully lead crisis simulations.
You can design risk frameworks that align with business goals.
You can claim back up to 70% of your tuition fees as tax credits after your graduation through the Get Qualified scheme.
Be the hero your business needs
IT risk management and crisis management in IT transform risks into resilience. IT managers ensure business continuity through foresight and action. In a world of digital threats, their role in IT crisis management is super powerful.
Start your journey at GBS Malta to become the guardian every company needs.
Apply now to GBS Malta’s IT Programmes.