Operational processes are seeing an increasing shift to digital. Digital processes reduce costs, eliminate errors, and boost productivity. However, they also increase the risk of cyber threats.

Leaders must do more than protect their company from cyber threats. They must build resilience to ensure teams can recover quickly. An effective strategy will keep your company safe.

How Cyber Attacks Impact Operations

Cyber-attacks come in many forms. You may be dealing with a ransomware attack, a data breach, malware infections, Denial of Service, social engineering, or insider threats. When these attacks occur, they can cause systems to shut down completely.

While every department is impacted by a cyber-attack, operations arguably feel them most acutely. When operational systems can’t function, productivity comes to a halt. An attack can shut down machinery, limit development, and prevent order shipments.

What is Cyber Resilience?

Cyber resilience goes beyond attack prevention. It ensures operations can recover quickly after an attack occurs. The strategy also includes measures that address attacks early before damage is done.

A cyber-resilient plan focuses on protecting systems, but it also requires cultural awareness. Teams that are empowered in other aspects of business will take charge the moment a threat is detected. They will adopt a zen-like approach and work with others to pull their company through.

Leaders can establish a resilient culture by encouraging a growth mindset, ensuring psychological and physical safety on the job, demonstrating empathy, and encouraging teamwork.

Developing a Cyber Resilient Framework

Employees may be required to tailor their approach to the risk at hand, but a cyber-resilient framework will guide their reactions. Here are the recommended steps involved.

1. Perform a Risk Assessment: Review each part of your operational system to identify vulnerabilities and the impact a threat may have on each component. The goal is to go beyond strengthening systems. It’s determining how to react to various threats.
2. Create a Governance Structure: A governance structure assigns roles to team members based on how they react when a threat occurs. Employees may be asked to send out communications to make stakeholders aware of the issue, mitigate threats through technological systems, or get alternate systems up and running.
3. Establish a Response Plan: Determine how each team member will respond to the threat. Regularly test and update response measures to align with the evolving digital landscape.
4. Update Security Controls: Ensure systems are updated with the latest security control systems. Updates may be automated, but they should be supervised with human oversight to ensure they function as planned.
5. Implement Strong Authentication: Authentication methods like multi-factor authentication and facial recognition will strengthen systems.
6. Set Up Data Backup and Recovery: Data must be protected when an attack occurs. Ensure all data is backed up. Test recovery systems regularly to ensure they function properly.
7. Update and Patch Systems: Systems should be updated regularly to ensure optimal protection. The included patches will address bugs within the system.
8. Develop a Culture of Employee Awareness: Employees should be trained to do more than respond to threats. They should be aware of what threats look like so they can respond quickly and possibly prevent them from occurring.
9. Vendor Management: Cybersecurity threats are more likely to occur if vendors are not following cybersecurity guidelines. Vet vendors carefully to ensure they use secure systems. You may also include them in your resiliency plan if they are impacted.
10. Develop a Training Program: Employees must be trained to recognize threats and understand response mechanisms. You may simulate attacks to create a real-life response process. Ongoing training is necessary ensuring your employees are updated on the latest trends.

What are the Goals of a Cyber Resilience Strategy?

• Prevents Threats: It teaches teams to identify threats so they can prevent them or mitigate their outcome.
• Establish a Response Plan: Your strategy should provide guidelines so teams can respond to threats quickly before extensive damage occurs.
• Ensures Business Continuity: With the right approach, you can avoid disruptions and downtime.
• Increases Stakeholder Confidence: Stakeholders will feel more secure knowing they are partnering with a company that is reliable and keeps their information safe.
• Regulatory Compliance: For many companies, a resilience strategy does more than ensure productivity. It keeps them compliant with industry standards avoiding hefty fines and penalties.

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