CYBERCRIME STATS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
In 2024, businesses faced nearly 7.8 million cyberattacks. Despite half of UK businesses falling victim to cyber threats last year, only 31% conducted a cyber risk assessment, and just 15% had a formal cybersecurity incident management plan. Cyberattacks are not only increasing but also growing more sophisticated, especially with advancements in AI. Since the emergence of ChatGPT in 2022, phishing attacks via malicious emails have surged by an alarming 4,151%. To stay ahead of these evolving threats, businesses must strengthen their cyber resilience strategies.
WHAT IS CYBER RESILIENCE?
While cybersecurity focuses on defending your business against cyberattacks, cyber resilience takes a more comprehensive approach - encompassing both defence and response. Together, they create a strong foundation for both preventative and reactive measures. Cyber resilience integrates all aspects of cybersecurity, including monitoring, prevention, response, and containment. It provides a holistic defence against emerging threats while equipping organisations to manage network risks effectively and efficiently. Here are three key ways to enhance cyber resilience within your workforce.
TRAIN YOUR WORKFORCE
The Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2023 found that only 17% of businesses provide cybersecurity training for their staff. Educating employees is one of the most effective ways to strengthen cyber resilience across an entire organisation, not just within the IT department. Employees must understand their role in risk management, incident response, and security planning to help safeguard the business as a whole. While AI-driven cyberattacks are on the rise, research shows that human error remains the biggest cybersecurity threat. Key training topics should include phishing awareness, password hygiene, and two-factor authentication, critical defences that protect the organisation from preventable breaches. Every business should implement a structured cybersecurity training program, ensuring it stays up to date as cyber threats evolve. Comprehensive training should occur at least once a year, with additional refresher sessions as needed. Employee education is the cornerstone of cyber defence, especially when it comes to cyber resilience.
SELF ASSESSMENT
A key aspect of maintaining strong cyber defence systems is the ability to self-monitor. One of the biggest advantages of AI in cyber resilience is its ability to continuously scan networks and detect potential threats in real time. The continuous nature of this monitoring is crucial, particularly for large businesses managing vast amounts of data. Having systems that provide real-time insights into the evolving threat landscape is essential for achieving full visibility and protection. In addition to continuous monitoring, businesses should regularly self-assess by testing their cyber security response and resilience through attack simulations. These exercises help evaluate key factors such as incident response times, employee awareness, and the effectiveness of phishing defences. By analysing the results, organisations can identify weaknesses, track progress, and refine their security strategies accordingly.
INCIDENT RESPONSE
While monitoring, analysing, and flagging potential threats is essential, the response to these threats is just as important. To achieve true cyber resilience, every business must have a robust incident response plan in place in case of a breach. A key element of this plan is ensuring employees have the necessary tools and understanding to act in the event of an incident. Many businesses achieve this through simulations and drills, designed to test employees under the pressure of a real-life, high-stress situation. These exercises replicate real cyberattacks, such as data breaches or ransomware incidents, assessing both individual reactions and the effectiveness of the company’s overall threat response plan. Clear and concise communication is the most critical aspect of an incident response plan. Employees must know exactly who to report incidents to and how to do so in the most efficient way possible, ensuring valuable time is not wasted during a security event. Cyber resilience is about response as well as prevention. Educating employees is therefore vital in developing a comprehensive incident response plan, enabling staff to swiftly and effectively report threats. This helps contain incidents as much as possible before responding, ultimately reducing the window of opportunity for exploitation.
Reach out to Cyber London for more ideas on how you can beef up your cyber resilience.
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