The components of and need for cyber resilience

Issue 3 2022 Information Security, Security Services & Risk Management


Hayden Sadler.

Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field, with new technologies opening new avenues for cyberattacks. Furthermore, while significant security breaches are frequently publicised, organisations need to learn how to improve their security posture and become more cyber resilient.

This rapid development and adoption of new technologies make it difficult for organisations to stay on top of and keep their cybersecurity programmes agile enough to react. This is due to known skills shortages that are difficult to quantify, specifically in the cybersecurity space. This makes it hard for organisations to find the right person, or even for a comprehensive cybersecurity task team to address a business-specific cybersecurity strategy in need of implementation.

However, what is important is that businesses must invest in world-class security development and training for employees tasked with overseeing security implementations. Dedicated budgets will aid in skills development on an ongoing basis. Although a versatile Head of Skills is a great resource, it is difficult for such an individual to provide attention to key areas or become a dedicated expert in a required skill.

Effective cyber resilience

Organisations need to implement a comprehensive cyber resilience solution with novel capabilities and better performance for modern data protection, backup, disaster recovery and business continuity to protect against ever-more complex and rising cyberthreats.

There is also the option of outsourcing; many third-party vendors and services companies can provide a much more focused and skilled approach to a business need, especially for implementing, maintaining, and incident response pertaining to cyber resilience. Cloud vulnerabilities are also a significant threat yet can be addressed through best practices being followed during implementation, alongside an understanding of whether the service provider or end-user business is responsible for mitigating them. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks designed to halt a business in their tracks are common, especially in politically motivated and grudge-driven attacks.

Cyber resilience must be a high priority

Outdated approaches such as basic search and monitoring are no longer sufficient, and rolling out standard anti-malware solutions is a common pitfall. The actual implementation of a security strategy needs to be followed up by a rigorous investigation and analysis of what was implemented. Locking down the expansion of these components will give organisations a sturdy grip on what has been rolled out in the infrastructure, thus mitigating unknown vulnerabilities.

Another pitfall is the assumption that a backup is a panacea to a cyberattack. However, the focus should be on how quickly the data can be safely restored. Large-scale recovery can be a lengthy process and thus have a negative impact on business. What can make a significant difference is having a consolidated backup with immutable snapshots, meaning the backup cannot be altered or deleted. Furthermore, recovery to the previous points-in-time can assist greatly, whereby the latest or best version of the backup can be recovered quickly with minimal downtime.

Organisations need to consider the need for a highly secure and effective authorisation and authentication process to safeguard external access. They need to also determine what is an acceptable use for business-supplied devices and appropriately lock down those devices . A resilient data protection strategy will need to be adopted too. This involves the backing up of data, implementing encryption, and regulating device use.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Highest increase in global cyberattacks in two years
Information Security News & Events
Check Point Global Research released new data on Q2 2024 cyber-attack trends, noting a 30% global increase in Q2 2024, with Africa experiencing the highest average weekly per organisation.

Read more...
SAFPS issues SAPS impersonation scam warning
News & Events Security Services & Risk Management
The Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) is warning the public against a scam in which scammers pose as members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and trick and intimidate individuals into handing over personal and financial information.

Read more...
What does Agentic AI mean for cybersecurity?
Information Security AI & Data Analytics
AI agents will change how we work by scheduling meetings on our behalf and even managing supply chain items. However, without adequate protection, they become soft targets for criminals.

Read more...
Phishing attacks through SVG image files
Kaspersky News & Events Information Security
Kaspersky has detected a new trend: attackers are distributing phishing emails to individual and corporate users with attachments in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) files, a format commonly used for storing images.

Read more...
Crypto in SA: between progress and precaution
Information Security
“As cryptocurrency gains momentum and legitimacy, it’s becoming increasingly important for people to pay attention to financial security”, says Richard Frost, head of technology and innovation at Armata Cyber Security.

Read more...
Cyber recovery requires a different approach to disaster recovery
Information Security
Disaster recovery is about getting operations back on track after unexpected disruptions; cyber recovery, however, is about calculated actions by bad actors aiming to disrupt your business, steal sensitive data, or hold your system hostage.

Read more...
MDR users claim 97,5% less
Sophos Information Security
The average cyber insurance claim following a significant cyberattack is just $75 000 for MDR users, compared with $3 million for endpoint-only users, according to a new independent study.

Read more...
The impact of GenAI on cybersecurity
Sophos News & Events Information Security
Sophos survey finds that 89% of IT leaders worry GenAI flaws could negatively impact their organisation’s cybersecurity strategies, with 87% of respondents stating they were concerned about a resulting lack of cybersecurity accountability.

Read more...
Rewriting the rules of reputation
Technews Publishing Editor's Choice Security Services & Risk Management
Public Relations is more crucial than ever in the generative AI and LLMs age. AI-driven search engines no longer just scan social media or reviews, they prioritise authoritative, editorial content.

Read more...
How can South African organisations fast-track their AI initiatives?
AI & Data Analytics Security Services & Risk Management
While the AI market in South Africa is anticipated to grow by nearly 30% annually over the next five years, tapping into the promise and potential of AI is not easy.

Read more...