How to build a more cyber resilient business

Having a cyber resilient business is vital in today's rapidly evolving digital environment, with nearly 4000 cyber attacks occurring daily threatening organisations and individuals. All the while, the fallout from a data breach has increased by 32% in the last few years. Evidently, organisations must focus on the prevention, detection, and response to attacks while fortifying systems. This requires cyber resilience - the adaptability, rapid recovery and strategies for business continuity during any potential breaches in digital defences. 

So to help your organisation become a more cyber resilient business, we outline methods to protect your digital infrastructure against evolving cyber threats.

Start with the basics! 

While it seems so simple, so many organisations do not have the basics covered, some of the oversights  still pop up every year like in the most recent Microsoft Digital Defense Report 

1. Implement context-aware Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all users 

2. Deploy operating system lockdowns e.g. Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmark 

3. Proactive application and operating system updates 

4. Roll our Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) for your endpoints and infrastructure e.g. Defender for Endpoint 

5. Remove ensure device security controls e.g. Local Admin 

6. Lock down your public endpoints e.g. Azure Front Door with Geo Fencing  

Look to lock down or remove Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) or unmanaged devices from your environment, as 80-90% of ALL compromises originate from unmanaged devices. 

Conduct a risk assessment 

Risk evaluations are critical to combat cyber threats. Identifying and understanding potential dangers is the foundation for an effective defence strategy. Thinking you have all the correct systems and controls in place is not the same as knowing you do. Plan, Do, Check, Act. 

To conduct an in-depth risk assessment:

• Recognise critical assets and potential vulnerabilities within your systems.  

• Examine existing security measures, processes and controls.  

• Assess potential impacts from various threats against your organisation. 

• Consider past incidents and industry-specific threats when planning for resilience.  

Continuous risk monitoring and updates are essential in building an effective defence strategy, with reviews of your risk assessments regularly reviewed to stay aligned with ever-evolving threats and vulnerabilities. This helps you adapt and harden systems against new risks to become a more cyber resilient business. 

Develop prevention strategies 

Proactive prevention strategies are key for countering cyber threats and ensuring your digital defences remain air-tight against attacks. Essential measures include strong access controls, user login authentication, robust passwords, MFA, staying abreast of security patches and regular cyber drills such as penetration testing or desktop exercises.  

These simulate real incidents while practising response protocols or identifying defensive weaknesses across your devices.  

Implement detection methods 

Effective detection is key for timely response to cyber threats. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems all play an essential part in keeping networks secure by alerting admins of potential attacks, while simultaneously taking automated preventative actions themselves.  

SIEM systems serve as real-time monitors and can facilitate compliance reporting processes. They provide a comprehensive view of your organisation's security posture, allowing quick identification and response to potential security incidents as they emerge.  

Build effective response plans 

Effective response plans are key components of a cyber resilient business. Define clear lines of authority, assign roles to team members, and prioritise critical functions in your recovery plans. 

With transparent internal communication and open external dialogue fostering trust, your organisation is better positioned to handle and recover from cyber incidents quickly - giving you greater protection against future challenges. 

Leveraging the cloud for ultimate resilience 

Leveraging the cloud is integral to creating a cyber resilient business. Cloud-based cybersecurity solutions offer numerous advantages that enhance both data protection and recovery processes. 

Benefits of Cloud-Based Cybersecurity Solutions: 

• Scalability: Resources can scale with demand.  
• Redundancy and backup: Automated backups reduce data loss risk.  
• Threat detection: Cloud platforms enhance cybersecurity.  
• Centralised security management: Simplifying oversight and control. 

Best Practices for Protecting Data in the Cloud: 

• Encrypt sensitive data during transit and storage.  
• Conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities.  
• Enforce multi-factor authentication to strengthen protection.  
• Classify sensitive data accordingly and take appropriate security measures. 
• Utilise real-time threat monitoring for rapid response.  
• Apply regular security patches for optimal cloud security. 

By exploring and adopting these best practices, your organisation can leverage the cloud's power to not only increase data security, but also bolster resilience against evolving cyber threats. 

Provide employee training and awareness 

Train your employees to quickly recognise and respond to cyber threats such as phishing. This includes advising them against clicking suspicious links, verifying email sources and reporting unusual activities immediately.  

Be mindful of social engineering risks when downloading from unknown sources and stress the importance of regular data backups. Encourage reporting suspicious emails or requests through separate channels while emphasising using unique passwords and multi-factor authentication for added protection. 

Establish a cybersecurity-aware culture 

Conduct regular cybersecurity training, including simulations of phishing or social engineering attacks. Communicate clear policies outlining expected employee behaviours, rewarding compliance and creating an environment in which employees feel free to report security concerns without fear of reprisal. 

Building a cyber resilient business requires a proactive approach. This includes thorough risk assessments, proactive prevention strategies, effective detection mechanisms, a well-defined response plan, leveraging the cloud, and employee training.

CNS can help your organisation become more cyber resilient, contact us for more information. 

As certified IT security experts, we can help you fortify your defences, uphold regulatory compliance, improve your company's security posture and proactively maintain your servers and networks to protect you from evolving cyber risks.