Since the beginning of the computer age, IT teams have doggedly worked to prevent all cyberattacks and system outages that could disrupt operations. That may no longer be an achievable objective. Modern technologies and threats have become so complex and sophisticated that IT failures now seem nearly inevitable — 96 percent of IT organizations worldwide experienced at least one outage in the past three years, according to one study.
That’s why organizations today must focus on resilience rather than prevention. IT resilience refers to an ability to withstand and recover from attacks or disruptions while maintaining the continuous availability and functionality of critical business processes and services.
Preventive measures remain essential, but cyber-resilient organizations augment those tools and tactics with solutions and processes that minimize the impact of hardware failures, software glitches, cyberattacks, natural disasters and other unexpected events. It’s a bend-but-don’t-break approach designed to detect attacks as quickly as possible and respond decisively to limit downtime or data loss.
Following are five characteristics of resilient organizations:
1. They Are Proactive
Too many companies still take a reactive approach to IT outages, only addressing issues after they occur and relying on ad-hoc solutions to restore functionality. This often results in extended downtime and potential data loss. Resilient companies don’t wait — they anticipate problems and ensure they have a contingency plan. They conduct regular security audits, penetration tests and threat intelligence analysis to stay ahead of emerging risks. They invest in advanced cybersecurity technologies to detect and mitigate threats in real time. Training programs ensure that employees are well-versed in cybersecurity best practices.
2. They Understand Risk
When developing disaster recovery and business continuity plans, many companies focus on restoring systems and operations following major calamities such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires and tornadoes. While it is good to have contingency plans for such events, most business disruptions are the result of far more mundane issues such as power outages, cable cuts, expired certificates and application misconfigurations. Resilient organizations understand the impact of such issues and have plans to address them.
3. They Think Holistically
Resilient organizations understand the connections between physical and digital resources and implement solutions for protecting both. This is particularly important due to the growing incidence of blended attacks that aim to compromise both digital assets and the physical infrastructure. For example, some ransomware attacks target industrial control systems, disrupting both digital operations and the physical processes they control.
4. They Collaborate
Because outages impact the entire organization, effective resilience efforts must transcend departmental boundaries to ensure overall preparedness, a unified response and rapid recovery. For example, the IT team can work to identify and address the root cause while the communication team provides updates and the operation team assesses the business impact. Meanwhile, executive leadership will guide resource allocation and the legal team will manage compliance requirements.
5. They Are Decisive
Resilient organizations act swiftly to activate incident response plans, isolate affected systems and deploy countermeasures. Early detection and fast response can significantly reduce the impact of a breach or outage. For example, an IBM study finds that organizations that use automated threat detection and response tools were able to contain breaches 108 days faster than those that don’t. Proactive decision-making extends to continuous monitoring, threat intelligence analysis, and adaptive security measures. Leaders in resilient organizations cultivate a culture of quick, informed decision-making, empowering teams to respond decisively during a crisis.
Building IT resilience requires a proactive approach to risk management, the implementation of protective measures, regular testing and effective collaboration to ensure a robust response to potential threats and disruptions. Verteks can help you create and implement a plan for improving your resilience. Contact us to learn more.
