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Significant reputational and operational risks to organisations are mostly caused by cyberattacks, such as ransomware and data breaches, making effective communication key. The study seeks to answer the following research questions: 1) What challenges are encountered during cyber crisis communication, and 2) which crisis communication strategies are most effectively used by organisations during cyberattacks, and how they align with SCCT? The study was qualitative in nature, using existing literature and case studies of prominent cyberattacks that happened globally in 2020, where cyberattacks were at their peak due to the work-from-home setup. The study applied Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to guide the research. Findings highlight key challenges in crisis communication, such as balancing transparency with confidentiality, countering misinformation, ensuring timely communication when the organisation is under pressure and reaching marginalised populations. Regarding research question two, the findings identified five key themes: transparency spectrum, timeliness and proactiveness, channel usage, message focus and the COVID-19 context. To enforce effective communication during cyberattacks, organisations must develop pre-approved communication toolkits, use internal decision processes to balance risk and openness, conduct vulnerability-sensitive communication planning and Audits and Regulatory Compliance.

The rapid growth of the digital information ecosystem, characterized by cross-channel conversations, the spread of misinformation, and the increasing vulnerability of corporate reputation, highlights the urgency of developing strategic communication systems powered by data and artificial intelligence for early detection and crisis mitigation. This study therefore focuses on examining the role and effectiveness of the Digital Engagement Center (DEC) at PT United Tractors Tbk (UT), while also exploring the experiences, practices, and perceptions of communication and management practitioners regarding its use in strategic decision-making. Although the literature on media monitoring, AI-driven communication, and early warning systems is extensive, research on their application in the form of an integrated system such as DEC remains limited, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia. This makes the study relevant in addressing this gap and providing both theoretical and practical contributions. In the employing qualitative intrinsic case study design, data were collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that DEC is an effective AI-enabled early warning system for real-time analysis, classification, and prediction of issues while requiring validation by a human for shifting communication toward a proactive rather than reactive model. Effectiveness is further evidenced by early detection of issues such as the internal PPE case, whereby supported automated notifications, monthly sentiment reports, and the AMEC model underscore the significance of timely imports, interpretation, and support within the organization. Moreover, DEC serves as a strategic instrument for leaders and communication practitioners to design narratives, strategies, and data-driven policies through its interactive dashboard and escalation SOPs, thereby strengthening public trust and fostering a more adaptive and collaborative organizational communication culture.

As a crisis communication strategy, silence has received scant scholarly attention. This study, guided by an expanded version of the Image Repair Theory, where silence is a sixth strategy—alongside denial, evasion of responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action and mortification—draws on semi-structured interviews with 12 South African public relations (PR) consultants—explores the consultants’ perception of this long-neglected crisis communication strategy. The findings demonstrate that crisis-affected organisations frequently apply silence to buy time for legal consultations, fact verification and internal messaging alignment. However, when used to avoid stakeholders or hide the unfolding crisis from them, it is reputationally risky. The study introduces the “Three-Clock Model”, comprising legal, organisational and media timelines, which, when aligned, enhance credibility and reputation. Theoretically, the study is an addition to the burgeoning body of work reconceptualising silence as a deliberate rhetorical strategy. Empirically, it enriches the under-developed literature on strategic silence and PR consulting.

Significant reputational and operational risks to organisations are mostly caused by cyberattacks, such as ransomware and data breaches, making effective communication key. The study seeks to answer the following research questions: 1) What challenges are encountered during cyber crisis communication, and 2) which crisis communication strategies are most effectively used by organisations during cyberattacks, and how they align with SCCT? The study was qualitative in nature, using existing literature and case studies of prominent cyberattacks that happened globally in 2020, where cyberattacks were at their peak due to the work-from-home setup. The study applied Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to guide the research. Findings highlight key challenges in crisis communication, such as balancing transparency with confidentiality, countering misinformation, ensuring timely communication when the organisation is under pressure and reaching marginalised populations. Regarding research question two, the findings identified five key themes: transparency spectrum, timeliness and proactiveness, channel usage, message focus and the COVID-19 context. To enforce effective communication during cyberattacks, organisations must develop pre-approved communication toolkits, use internal decision processes to balance risk and openness, conduct vulnerability-sensitive communication planning and Audits and Regulatory Compliance.

The rapid growth of the digital information ecosystem, characterized by cross-channel conversations, the spread of misinformation, and the increasing vulnerability of corporate reputation, highlights the urgency of developing strategic communication systems powered by data and artificial intelligence for early detection and crisis mitigation. This study therefore focuses on examining the role and effectiveness of the Digital Engagement Center (DEC) at PT United Tractors Tbk (UT), while also exploring the experiences, practices, and perceptions of communication and management practitioners regarding its use in strategic decision-making. Although the literature on media monitoring, AI-driven communication, and early warning systems is extensive, research on their application in the form of an integrated system such as DEC remains limited, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia. This makes the study relevant in addressing this gap and providing both theoretical and practical contributions. In the employing qualitative intrinsic case study design, data were collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that DEC is an effective AI-enabled early warning system for real-time analysis, classification, and prediction of issues while requiring validation by a human for shifting communication toward a proactive rather than reactive model. Effectiveness is further evidenced by early detection of issues such as the internal PPE case, whereby supported automated notifications, monthly sentiment reports, and the AMEC model underscore the significance of timely imports, interpretation, and support within the organization. Moreover, DEC serves as a strategic instrument for leaders and communication practitioners to design narratives, strategies, and data-driven policies through its interactive dashboard and escalation SOPs, thereby strengthening public trust and fostering a more adaptive and collaborative organizational communication culture.

As a crisis communication strategy, silence has received scant scholarly attention. This study, guided by an expanded version of the Image Repair Theory, where silence is a sixth strategy—alongside denial, evasion of responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action and mortification—draws on semi-structured interviews with 12 South African public relations (PR) consultants—explores the consultants’ perception of this long-neglected crisis communication strategy. The findings demonstrate that crisis-affected organisations frequently apply silence to buy time for legal consultations, fact verification and internal messaging alignment. However, when used to avoid stakeholders or hide the unfolding crisis from them, it is reputationally risky. The study introduces the “Three-Clock Model”, comprising legal, organisational and media timelines, which, when aligned, enhance credibility and reputation. Theoretically, the study is an addition to the burgeoning body of work reconceptualising silence as a deliberate rhetorical strategy. Empirically, it enriches the under-developed literature on strategic silence and PR consulting.