Cyber Resilience: Importance and Best Practices
In today’s cyber landscape, criminals can continuously change their attack methods based on the latest technologies. The sophistication of cybercriminals and ransomware make it difficult for businesses of any size to remain competitive in an unpredictable environment while protecting their data, network, critical business processes, and applications.
Unfortunately, data breaches and attacks frequently occur, but having a cyber resilience strategy can help your business from experiencing devastating results. So, what is cyber resilience? Here is what the top managed IT service professionals in Dallas, TX, say about the concept and best practices.
What Is Cyber Resilience?
Cyber resilience is a company’s ability to continuously stand firm in the face of cyber adversity, stresses, and compromises and continue its operations. If your company is cyber resilient, it can proactively anticipate cyber troubles, withstand them, and recover from the damage.
The modern cyber threat landscape is ever-changing, but it is surprisingly advanced. Traditional security protections and methodologies are no longer adequate without additional systems and practices in place. By embracing cyber resilience, a company has the tools and resources necessary to handle cybersecurity problems and quickly recover from them.
Now that you can answer, “What is cyber resilience,” here’s a look into why it’s a smart choice for your company.
Cybersecurity Vs Cyber Resilience
Cybersecurity and cyber resilience may seem similar, but they are not. The former helps protect a business from cyberattacks using VPNs, software patching, firewalls, anti-malware, software, etc. However, cyber resilience tackles the aftermath of failed cybersecurity measures and disruptions from power outages, human error, and severe weather.
Resiliency plans consider a company’s technology dependency and cybersecurity measures, such as critical data storage options, and explore how an attack or business interruption will affect them. Protections are put in place to reduce the effect of those interruptions.
A robust cybersecurity plan is essential for a business’s overall security, but a cyber attack can still occur. Employees of a cyber-resilient company can follow clearly defined policies and solutions to continue normal business operations after a cybersecurity failure.
Why Cyber Resilience Is Necessary
Cyber resilience is essential for avoiding catastrophic cybersecurity failures that do not include contingency plans. With the possibility of a sophisticated cyber-attack occurring despite having the best security plans, having additional protections for your organization means it will not skip a beat if a problem occurs.
Security issues can develop outside of a company’s network through malicious data breaches and ransomware. However, workers with access to internal systems using a username and password can also compromise the company’s network and sensitive data. A reliable resiliency plan will not prevent all of these problems from happening, but it will mitigate damage caused by potentially catastrophic events.
Benefits Of Cyber Resilience
A cyber-resilient business will enjoy several benefits of these security strategies, including the following.
Regulatory compliance
Businesses that handle sensitive client or patient information such as medical histories, addresses, social security numbers, and credit card numbers must adhere to several industry-based regulations. For example, failing to meet the standards set forth by the General Data Protection Regulation could result in legal troubles and a tarnished brand reputation.
Cyber resiliency plans allow businesses to examine their security status and identify potential network vulnerabilities that could cause non-compliance. By uncovering loopholes, the company’s IT team can fill the gaps to ensure that it meets the required legal standards.
Brand reputation improvement
Data breaches and hacks can be detrimental to a small business because of a loss of consumer trust. Though hacks and other cyber attacks can occur at any time despite security measures, the public generally has an unfavorable view of businesses with compromised cyber security. People may feel that the company could jeopardize their personal information, hurting the brand’s reputation.
A cyber resilience plan means a compromised company can maintain its clients’ trust. By continuing normal business operations and acting immediately on the threat, the company positions itself as a responsible authority in its industry.
Business continuity
Cybersecurity is necessary for business protection, but it is not infallible. However, adding a cyber resilience plan to the security strategy helps eliminate potential threats before they become issues. The plan also mitigates damage from existing problems so that business owners can run their operations with minimal downtime after a crisis.
Best Practices For A Cyber Resiliency Strategy
Data backups
All companies should have a backup and recovery plan to ensure that the business can continue after disaster strikes. Regularly backing up business processes, consumer data, and other essential information means the company can recover quickly from unforeseen issues, such as data breaches and equipment failure.
Backups become vital for businesses after data loss or system corruption due to an attack or IT failure. Even if the initial data storage sustains damage or loss, the company can still access essential information.
Stringent security protocols
Most companies protect their networks by focusing on outside threats. However, insiders like employees and contractors are responsible for many data breaches, attacks, and other cyber issues.
Incorporating strict security measures to protect the company against inside and outside threats is necessary. For example, rigorous security measures can include access management, encryption for sensitive data, and multi-factor authentication.
Automation
Cyber attacks are becoming as sophisticated as the security measures that protect businesses against digital invaders. Automation helps companies uncover vulnerabilities faster and assess risks accurately. Combining artificial intelligence and machine learning is proving effective for automating network functions.
Turn To Network Elites For Optimal Cyber Resiliency Today
Now that you know the answer to “What is cyber resilience,” it is time to put your trust in a reputable cybersecurity company that will make your company’s security its top priority. Network Elites has years of experience serving businesses of all sizes through northern Texas. Our team effectively prevents data security risks from attack vectors as a managed services provider.
In addition to our customizable cyber protections, we also offer recovery support for data breaches or data loss due to natural disasters, power outages, ransomware, and more. Reach out today to learn more about cybersecurity services by Network Elites.
