IT emergency checklist for SMEs: prepared instead of panicking
KMU Informatik · 2026-07-10 · 5 Min read
Server failure on Monday morning, ransomware in accounting, the only IT person on holiday: IT emergencies hit SMEs unprepared – yet six documents and agreements are enough to stay calm in an emergency. Here is the checklist.
1. Emergency contact list
Who is alerted in which order? IT service provider, management, telephony provider, bank, insurance, possibly NCSC (national reporting centre). The list belongs printed in a place that is reachable without functioning IT.
2. Backup evidence and recovery plan
Where are the backups, who can restore them, how long does that take? A recovery test per quarter shows whether the plan works – and how long your business stands still in an emergency (RTO).
3. Password and access documentation
Admin access, domain management, hosting, cloud consoles: these credentials belong sealed and encrypted on file – not in the head of a single person. The 'bus factor' is real in SMEs.
4. Immediate action catalogue
Ransomware: disconnect the network, pay nothing, call experts. Data leak: inform those affected and possibly the data protection authority. Outage: define replacement workstations and communication channel (e.g. private phones, group chat).
5. Communication plan
Who informs customers, suppliers and employees – and with which wording? Prepared text modules save hours under stress and prevent communication errors that are more expensive than the technical damage.
6. Insurance and legal obligations
Check cyber insurance (coverage, reporting deadlines) and statutory reporting obligations under Swiss data protection law. After an incident: secure documentation, do not discard evidence.
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