December 22, 2020

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Author: Matthew Turner

The Issue of Cyber Resilience

In our blog, we’ve already talked many times about cybersecurity and how to achieve it. However, today, we will look at the concept of cyber resilience — the older brother of cybersecurity.

If you are interested in the topic of cybersecurity, we’ve prepared a guide on Cybersecurity Issues with Remote Work During Coronavirus.

What is cyber resilience? Cyber resilience is the ability to prepare in advance for various cyberattacks and data leaks. It is also the ability to respond correctly and recover from them without losing the ability to work effectively. Cyber stability regiments the behavior and actions of internet users in anticipation of any cyber incidents.

This concept appeared only a few years ago, so there are no traditional means of control and security yet. Therefore, cyber experts are now developing new ways to respond to cyberattacks to minimize cyber risks.

Read an interview with cybersecurity guru David Geer. He told us many interesting things about cybersecurity right now and in the future.

Therefore, we will delve into cyber resilience issues and try to develop a specific mechanism for responding to cyber threats.

Why is cyber resilience important?

Today, cyber resilience is coming to the fore along with cybersecurity. Unfortunately, traditional methods of repelling threats are no longer sufficient, and for a more adequate and effective response to attacks, cyber resilience criteria have been developed.

Various cyber events in one way or another negatively affect the stable operation of both the average internet user and the company as a whole. Such events can be the result of planning (e.g. wrong OS selection), or deliberate action (created by specific people), or a combination of actions. Therefore, it is important not only to respond correctly to cyberattack cases but also to prevent them by using the rules of cyber resilience.

Updated Cyber Crime Statics for 2020 are already available on our blog. If you want to check the previous crimes and attacks, you can read this article.

Types of cyber resilience threats

Today, there are 4 major types of cyber threats:

• Cybercrime: These are digital crimes that target certain individuals or companies. As a rule, such crimes destabilize human security in the internet space. It includes phishing, malware, and more.

All updated information about types of malware, you can read in our blog.

• Hacktivism: These are attacks against a specific security system done by hackers motivated by a belief or cause, which may be political or social in nature. They may include DDoS attacks, ransomware, etc.

Read more about DDoS attacks in our previous article DDoS Attack.

• Cyber espionage: this is a crime aimed at obtaining confidential information without the owner’s knowledge. Cyber espionage’s common goals include trade secrets, supply chain information, personal identification information, protected medical information, and other confidential information.
• Human error: This is the potentially harmful effects of accidental issues caused by users or administrators.

What is cyber resilience strategy?

Now, let’s take a closer look at the elements of successful cyber resilience. As a rule, there are four elements of a successful cyber resilience strategy:

1. Management and protection.

This is the ability to recognize, evaluate, and prevent any cyber threats correctly.

• Identification and detection.

This involves using all possible network security monitoring methods and managing any changes in it, including cyber threats.

• Response and recovery.

This is a plan for the correct response to any cyber threat that occurs, including a list of steps to avoid it or to recover from it.

• Management and assurance.

This is the final stage of monitoring all previous processes to prevent or recover from a cyber threat.

The purpose of using cyber resilience is to protect the user or organization from cyber threats. As a rule, any strategy consists of such components as:

• Protection from threats

Unfortunately, along with the development of technology and system security improvement, cybercriminals likewise have honed their skills. Therefore, it is necessary to keep up with the times and apply the latest methods of cyber security.

• Ability to restore

If a cyberattack occurs, you should be able to recover and return to normal work quickly. This is usually possible if you have a full backup of your data on a separate network. Your people must also be trained on what to do in such a case.

*Note: For more information, read the incident response planning guide.

• Adaptivity

Adaptability is paramount, despite the importance of planning. The threat is ever-changing, so you need a security team that is on top of any new vulnerabilities that emerge. Therefore, it is important to conduct continuous monitoring and evaluation of the security system. And in the event of a serious cyber threat, you must be able to adapt your behavior.

• Durability

The durability of your security system is the ability to correctly and quickly respond to any cyber threats, as well as manage all vulnerabilities and technical inconsistencies, in a way that minimizes any disruption to normal business operations.

How can I be cyber resilient?

For everybody who wants to improve their cyber resilience, there is a special plan developed by The National Institute of Standards and Technology 800-160 Vol. 2. It includes 11 methods for improving cyber resilience. These methods are suitable for both companies and ordinary users:

• Adaptive response: the ability to quickly and correctly respond to any threat.
• Analytical monitoring: tracking and identifying any unfavorable moments.
• Coordinated protection: the correct implementation of all security measures.
• Deception: the use of misleading or false data to deceive cybercriminals.
• Diversity: using heterogeneity to reduce failures during attacks.
• Dynamic positioning: using distributed resources and the ability to relocate them to recover from cyberattacks.
• Dynamic view: keeping the network used up-to-date.
• Redundancy: creating multiple independent versions of essential system resources and data.
• Segmentation: defining and separating elements based on criticality and reliability.
• Substantiated integrity: knowing if critical elements of the system have been corrupted or breached.
• Unpredictability: making network changes in a way that cannot be anticipated by a potential attacker.

Follow our Checklist of Necessary Security Measures on the Internet and stay safe and secure.

Final word

In discussing cyber resilience, one way or another, its priority over cybersecurity is raised as it becomes more important. After all, cyber resilience involves developing a specific strategy that not only minimizes risks in any cyber danger.