CISA, FBI, and International Partners Release Guidance on Effective Communication During Service Outages

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and international partners, released joint guidance Communicating Under Pressure: Best Practices for Service Providers to help organizations plan to communicate clearly and effectively during service outages impacting IT and operational technology (OT) systems.

Whether caused by cyber threat actors, human error, equipment failure, or natural hazards, service outages can create disruption and societal panic even without speculation from end users and the public as added factors. Outages at one organization may cascade across interconnected systems, increasing the uncertainty and potential for panic. This guidance describes how service providers can prepare and execute clear, timely, and audience-appropriate messaging that articulates accurate information while still aligning with operational security, law enforcement, and containment efforts.

Key actions for communicating during service outages:

• Lead with confirmed facts, scope, and affected systems

• Tailor updates to each audience

• State what is known, unknown, and under investigation

• Explain operational impact and any customer actions

• Avoid vague language, speculation, and public relations “spin”

• Provide frequent, time-stamped updates

• Align messaging with legal, regulatory, and law enforcement requirements

CISA’s CI Fortify initiative provides information and resources that help critical infrastructure organizations prepare to isolate and recover their vital OT systems during a major cyber incident or crisis. Changes in service availability, whether from outages or isolation as a defensive strategy, require transparent and ongoing communication to help end users minimize operational impact, limit speculation, and preserve trust. For emergency planning purposes, critical infrastructure owners and operators should assume that telecommunications services may be disrupted or otherwise unreliable, making it crucial for organizations to have crisis communications plans in place that integrate backup communication methods and understand the type of communication they should expect from their service providers.