In today’s fast-paced online world, criminals seem to be keeping up. Research shows that public data breaches in the US surged by 68% in 2021, reaching a record high of 1862.
If you’re a business leader, those figures should be worrying. Chances are, your organization isn’t doing enough to keep up with the latest threat, even if you have basic cyber security measures in place.
While doing your homework to protect your company, you might have seen a common phrase and started to wonder, “What is cyber resilience, and can it help protect us?” Cyber resilience is crucial for any modern company, but it’s not a term familiar to many business leaders. If you’re not sure what it is—or whether you need it—here’s what to keep in mind.
What Is Cyber Resilience?
In essence, the term “cyber resilience” refers to your ability to deal with a data breach or cyberattack. Though it’s easy to confuse this term with simple “cyber security,” cyber resilience is different in that its scope is broader, and it houses cyber security under its umbrella.
Cyber resilience involves your preparation for, defense from, and recovery from the attack. In addition, good cyber resilience involves adapting to the strategies and threats you’ve seen in the past with new systems and resources.
Businesses that have strong cyber security and resilience will see less downtime during and after an attack, allowing them to resume or continue their normal business activities in safety. This is a key benefit, as it means your organization won’t suffer severe business disruptions and financial loss, nor will you have to deal with an impact on your reputation. For industries that require regulatory compliance, better cyber resilience can also help you follow all standards.
How Can You Get Cyber Resilient?
There are multiple strategies you’ll need to consider if you want to improve your cyber resilience.
First, focus on employee training and education throughout your organization. All employees should know the risks and security measures you have in place, and your board of directors should also understand the perils of a breach.
Next, reset your current systems. This means auditing all of your data, including access rights. From there, you should also consider investing in more cyber resilient systems, such as automated tools that help with threat hunting or risk mitigation.
If possible, hire and train cybersecurity experts who can help your defense. This is perhaps the most crucial step, as these professionals can help you stay on top of the latest risks and security measures. Any experts on your current team should consider a cyber resilience certification like Resilia, which can help you improve your current strategies.
It’s also smart to assume any unusual activity is a breach. This allows your people to practice their security response, and it can also limit the impact if the activity turns out to be a genuine threat.
Improve Your Cyber Resilience Today
Now that you’ve stopped wondering, “What is cyber resilience, anyway?” it’s time to start protecting your company. In the face of surging data breaches, better cyber resilience is the only thing standing between your organization and significant financial loss. Make sure to consider reaching out to a local expert for more specific insights!
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