Businesses must ‘fortify their defences’ against future ‘digital pandemics,’ says cyber security expert
19 July 2024, 15:50
The global outage of IT systems today spotlights the interconnected digital world that we live in, where we’ve all become increasingly reliant on technology and underscores the critical need for robust cyber resilience strategies.
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Supply chain disruption
As we’ve seen, disruption at just one stage in a digital supply chain can have ripple effects throughout the entire system. This recent outage affected a range of organisations across the globe, from aviation to banking and healthcare.
Immediate action
In response to the outage, cyber security firm, CrowdStrike, has issued remediation guidelines. Impacted organisations are advised to follow these recommendations promptly to secure their systems, mitigate damage, and restore operations. Swift and effective action in the face of such incidents is crucial.
Rapid response will help to contain the immediate impact and set the stage for recovery and stabilisation. However, addressing the immediate fallout is only part of the solution; long-term resilience requires a more strategic approach.
Safeguarding for the future
Organisations across all sectors and of all sizes must focus on enhancing their cyber resilience. This involves a multifaceted approach that prioritises the development and implementation of comprehensive incident management plans. Regular security assessments are essential to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. Continuous monitoring and testing of systems help ensure that defences are up-to-date and effective.
Investing in advanced security technologies is also vital. Tools such as intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and encryption can provide additional layers of protection.
Long-term resilience
The IT outage today has underscored the vulnerabilities within our connected world and highlighted the necessity for robust cybersecurity strategies. Organisations must take proactive steps to fortify their defences and ensure they can navigate the complexities of the digital landscape so that when incidents like this happen, they are prepared and have a plan.
