By: Aslam Tajbhai - Head of Solutions at DMP SA

The terms “Cybersecurity” and “Cyber Resilience” are often used interchangeably, which can be misleading. While they are related, these two concepts serve distinct yet complementary purposes, particularly when viewed from a data management perspective. Both are critical to safeguarding data and ensuring business continuity. But what are the differences between them, and why does an organisation need both to effectively manage Cyber Risk?

Cybersecurity versus Cyber Resilience

At its core, Cybersecurity focuses on preventative measures that attempt to stop unauthorised access, breaches, and attacks. It includes firewalls, antivirus software, strong password policies, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which are all designed to keep cybercriminals at bay.

On the other hand, Cyber Resilience talks to how well an organisation can recover after an attack. Cyber Resilience is not just about preventing breaches, which is not always possible, but about minimising the damage and restoring operations swiftly. Cyber Resilience involves strategies for data recovery, damage control, and operational continuity following an incident.

In short, Cybersecurity aims to block attacks, while Cyber Resilience ensures that when attacks happen, their impact is minimised, and operations can resume business as usual as quickly as possible. This is why both are critical in an effective and robust data management strategy that not only safeguards business operations, but assists in compliance with various bodies of legislation such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). 

Building a strong Cybersecurity strategy

A solid Cybersecurity strategy requires that several core components be incorporated and layered to protect an organisation from a breach as far as possible. Bad actors often gain access to a company’s network through endpoint devices such as laptops, smartphones, or tablets. Ensuring these devices are equipped with endpoint protection, including antivirus and anti-malware software, is essential. Firewalls act as a barrier between a company’s internal network and the external world, helping to block unauthorised access. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) ensure secure communication between remote devices and the corporate network.

On top of these tools, it is critical that strong password policies are combined with MFA, as most breaches today still occur as a result of compromised credentials. This makes it essential to also have appropriate access control policies in place, following a “least privileged access” strategy, to ensure that only people who need access to the data and systems can do so. However, while these measures help prevent unauthorised access and protect data, no system is completely impervious to attack. That is where Cyber Resilience becomes vital.

Back to business

The role of Cyber Resilience is to mitigate damage when things go wrong. This is a continuous process that starts long before an attack occurs and ensures a business can recover quickly when the worst happens. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides a framework that helps organisations identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover from, cyber incidents.

Cyber Resilience can be broken down into three key areas:

1. Risk identification – understanding and identifying the risks within an organisation is critical. This includes knowing where sensitive data, such as customer credit card details or personal information, is stored. The earlier risks are identified, the more steps can be taken to protect that data, such as encryption, deletion, or archival.

2. Readiness – Cyber Resilience requires organisations to be ready for an attack. This means having early warning systems in place, such as threat deception technology, and testing cyber recovery plans regularly in isolated environments. A strong recovery plan ensures minimal downtime and protects data integrity.

3. Recovery – the most crucial aspect of resilience is the ability to recover quickly after an attack. Backups are key, but not just any backups – organisations need to have immutable backups stored offsite that cannot be tampered with during an attack, and the ability to recover a clean copy of data to a clean environment. This ensures businesses can resume operations with minimal disruption.

Risk versus reward

Failing to implement effective Cybersecurity in conjunction with a robust Cyber Resilience strategy can have detrimental effects. A successful breach can erode customer trust and damage the organisation’s brand; it can also cause extended periods of downtime, interrupting business operations. These both can lead to significant financial losses, either directly through ransom payments or indirectly through lost business.

Preventing attacks is no longer enough, nor is it always possible. It is essential to be able to recover when, and not if, bad actors infiltrate business networks. By implementing both Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience strategies, businesses can safeguard their assets and ensure uninterrupted operations. Together, they form the foundation of a comprehensive, long-term data management strategy that protects against both immediate and future threats.