What is cyber resiliency?

Cyber resiliency is the ability of an IT system to remain operational and provide services in the event of unexpected disruptions, outages, or other unforeseen circumstances. 

It is the capacity for a system to recover from a disruption quickly and effectively and return to normal functionality. Let's cover all the basics of cyber resiliency to give you a broader picture of the concept.

The basics on cyber resiliency

Cyber resiliency is the ability of an IT system to quickly recover from disruptions such as power outages, cyber attacks, or other unforeseen events. 

It also refers to the process of reducing risk through redundancy, backup solutions, and disaster recovery plans. When properly implemented, these measures can help ensure that an organization’s IT systems are able to continue operating despite unexpected disruptions.

Cyber resiliency helps ensure that businesses can continue operations with minimal disruption in the event of a major incident.

Having a strong cyber resiliency strategy is important for any organization. It ensures that data remains secure and accessible even during a crisis situation or when faced with unforeseen circumstances. 

By having multiple layers of protection, including redundant systems, backups, and disaster recovery plans in place, organizations are better positioned to avoid costly downtime due to outages and prolonged disruptions.

Learn more about the importance of vulnerability management by reviewing our latest webinar.

Why cyber resilience is needed

The need for cyber resiliency is becoming increasingly important as businesses rely more and more on technology. In today’s digital world, data availability is critical to the success of any organization, regardless of its size or industry. 

Due to this reliance on technology, it is essential that organizations have plans in place to quickly recover from disruptions with minimal downtime and costly service interruptions. 

Without an effective plan, organizations can suffer significant losses due to reduced productivity and vulnerability, and the results can be catastrophic. The average cost of a data breach in 2022 was over $9.44 million. 

Cyber resiliency strategies provide peace of mind for organizations by knowing that their systems are secure, and that their operations can continue even in the face of a disaster or outage situation. 

For example, let's imagine a company that experienced an outage due to a storm, but was able to quickly recover from the situation. 

By having an cyber resiliency strategy in place, they would be able to maintain uptime and process orders without disruption. This minimizes their losses and enables them to continue doing business as normal.

To learn more about how cyber resiliency factors into overall cybersecurity, you can visit our  cybersecurity glossary. 

How to build out a cyber resiliency plan

A successful cyber resiliency strategy should include a combination of preventive measures, such as strong security protocols and redundant systems, as well as proactive steps to ensure quick recovery from any incident.  

With that said, here is how to build a comprehensive cyber resiliency plan to safeguard against worst-case scenarios:

• Identify your assets: The first step is to identify the IT assets that could be affected by a potential incident, such as servers, desktops, laptops, and other networked devices.
• Establish security protocols: Establishing strong security protocols is essential for protecting against cyberattacks and data breaches. This should include measures such as two-factor authentication, encryption, and malware protection.
• Create redundant systems: Implementing redundant systems can help ensure continuity of operations in case of an unexpected outage or system failure. This could include creating multiple backup servers or cloud storage solutions with automated failover capabilities. 
• Develop disaster recovery plans: A comprehensive disaster recovery plan should outline the steps that need to be taken in the event of an incident, such as a natural disaster or cyberattack. This should include processes for restoring data and systems as quickly as possible.
• Monitor system performance: Regularly monitoring system performance can help to identify potential risks before they become major issues. Implementing tools such as automated monitoring software can help ensure that any weaknesses are addressed promptly. 
• Train your team: Finally, it’s important to train your IT staff so that they know how to respond in the event of an emergency. This should include training on security protocols, backup procedures, and disaster recovery plans.
• Test your plan: Without testing the processes and procedures in your recovery plans, you don't know for sure whether or not you will be able to recover your systems and data in the event of a security incident. The time to test your recovery plans is not during an incident.

Following these steps can help ensure that your company is prepared for any incident, from small outages to major disasters.

At ConnectWise, our cybersecurity solutions are designed to help organizations protect their data, ensure compliance, and maintain resilient systems. In addition, in the event a disaster does happen, we offer backup and disaster recovery options to minimize the impact of data loss and security incidents.

We offer custom-designed solutions tailored to each organization's unique cyber security needs, helping them to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities before they happen.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your cybersecurity management.