TALKING

Why cyber recovery is different from disaster recovery

Despite the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks, many organisations still lack effective controls and incident response plans, nor do they have the muscle memory gained from having faced and overcome a cyber breach previously.

This is where the value of a ransomware attack simulation becomes apparent, as it is a crucial component in helping to prepare organisations for effectively responding to cyber incidents. The insights gained from these simulations and training sessions can help enterprises adopt a survival time objective mindset, which focuses on the key metrics of time to detect, time to respond and time to recover.

These training events typically see participants experience a simulated cyberattack in small groups, taking on roles in the leadership team of a fictional company during a ransomware negotiation. Participants are faced with challenges and critical decision points as they choose their response plans against the backdrop of a crafted story based on known network breaches.

This approach, along with developing a robust response plan, can significantly enhance an organisation’ s cyber resilience and facilitate continuous business operations.

Ransomware attack simulations force executives to ask themselves critical questions when facing a breach, such as how to respond and what the plan of action should be. The key objective of a simulation is to empower businesses and help them adopt the right mindset when it comes to addressing cyber threats.

Not only do the insights gained from simulation exercises help organisations better prepare for and respond to ransomware and other cyberattacks, but they also distinguish disaster recovery from cyber recovery. This underscores the importance of developing a tailored approach to cyber resilience, rather than relying on traditional disaster recovery plans.

Simulations are designed to help participants understand the perspectives and decision-making processes of the four key personas involved, namely the CEO, CTO, CISO and legal counsel. While it is a make-believe scenario, the lessons learnt from a simulation can be applied to a real-life cyber incident.

Cleanroom technology ensures that the environment used for data recovery has not been compromised.

Complying with the standard will require governments to adopt minimum cybersecurity standards, including robust risk management, incident response, and data protection protocols. For institutions already grappling with existing vulnerabilities, this will provide a structured framework to help them build resilience.

The road ahead for the public sector is undoubtedly challenging. However, with the right technology and a proactive approach, governments can significantly improve their cyber resilience.

Innovations like cleanroom technology, hybrid cloud solutions, and intelligent detection tools will help public institutions protect their data, enhance their response capabilities, and minimise the financial impact of cyberattacks.

By addressing the evolving threat landscape with innovative technologies and a focus on proactive, strategic resilience, the public sector can not only safeguard itself against cyber threats but also ensure that essential services continue uninterrupted.

The future of cyber resilience lies in collaboration, smart investment, and embracing new technologies that can provide a robust defence against the increasingly sophisticated tactics of cybercriminals. p

Simulations prompt participants to consider the critical statements, objectives and outcomes they would need to address when engaging with real-life threat actors. This includes weighing the decision to negotiate, potentially involving a third-party negotiator, and determining whether to pay the ransom or rely on the organisation’ s own cyber resilience and trust in deployed technologies.

Exposing executives to advanced cybersecurity tools and strategies, simulations aim to give each persona, such as the CEO, CTO and CISO, the confidence to develop a comprehensive cyber resiliency plan and take the necessary actions to protect their organisation. In this way, simulations aim to better prepare organisations for the real-world challenges they may face when confronted with a ransomware incident.

32 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www. intelligentcio. com