# Crafting a Business Continuity Cybersecurity Plan
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-01-18
Category: TECHNOLOGY
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology
Meta Title: How to Combine Cybersecurity and Business Continuity for
Meta Description: Learn how enterprises can protect sensitive data and ensure business continuity through a comprehensive cybersecurity plan, including device and data controls
URL: https://financedigest.com/crafting-a-business-continuity-cybersecurity-planhtml

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_Ensure you continue serving customers through chaos with a business continuity cybersecurity plan_

_By **KC Sreeram,** Vice President, Cloud and Infrastructure Practices – Trianz_

Technology-related problems are one of the leading causes of said disruption—including areas such as server hosting and availability, data management, and, most critically, cybersecurity.

Unlike other areas of IT operations, a lax approach to [cybersecurity puts services](https://www.financedigest.com/the-state-of-cybersecurity-in-todays-financial-services-sector.html "The state of cybersecurity in today’s financial services sector"), secrets, shoppers, and staff at risk—often simultaneously. Customer financial [data](https://www.financedigest.com/whose-role-is-it-anyway-why-finance-underpins-data-led-digital-transformation.html "Whose role is it anyway? Why finance underpins data-led digital transformation") can be exposed to attackers, sensitive business secrets can be leaked, and digital services can go offline. This creates a [perfect storm](https://www.financedigest.com/the-perfect-storm-of-growth-and-success-for-the-restech-market.html "The Perfect Storm of Growth and Success for the ResTech Market") of disruption that can threaten business continuity.

To combat this, a rigid and comprehensive business [continuity cybersecurity plan is essential to thwart threats and ensure the security](https://www.financedigest.com/hybrid-working-and-the-continued-security-challenges-for-financial-organisations.html "Hybrid working and the continued security challenges for financial organisations") of sensitive datasets. Rather than two separate plans, [cybersecurity and business](https://www.financedigest.com/are-businesses-using-cybersecurity-as-a-scapegoat-for-a-desperate-return-to-office-working.html "Are Businesses Using Cybersecurity As A Scapegoat For A Desperate Return To Office Working?") continuity should intertwine as co-dependent forces, requiring close collaboration

**How Can Enterprises [Combine Cybersecurity and Business](https://www.financedigest.com/business-goals-vs-business-purpose-and-how-to-combine-them-for-success.html "Business Goals vs Business Purpose and how to combine them for success") Continuity?**

There are various [ways that enterprises can combine cybersecurity and business](https://www.financedigest.com/simple-ways-to-reduce-business-costs.html "Simple Ways to Reduce Business Costs") continuity. Some examples include:

**Device and Data Controls**

In times of disruption, device and data controls are essential. Your enterprise should have a way to revoke access when a user [account is compromised—often through role-based access controls](https://www.financedigest.com/fingerprint-scanners-to-remain-top-selling-accounting-for-over-one-third-of-access-control-demand-in-2021-future-market-insights.html "Fingerprint Scanners to Remain Top-selling, Accounting for Over One-third of Access Control Demand in 2021: Future Market Insights") (RBAC) or identity access management (IAM). You should also have a way to block network access when an endpoint is compromised, with additional protection via packet-based encryption.

Alongside user account security controls, individual users should be granted [data access based on “least privilege.” A user should only have access to a sufficient amount of data to fulfill their job](https://www.financedigest.com/yields-rise-stocks-nudge-higher-after-u-s-jobs-data.html "Yields rise, stocks nudge higher after U.S. jobs data") role—and nothing more. Overprovisioning data access increases the risk of sensitive information being leaked—either through unauthorized employee access or compromised [user accounts—which may end](https://www.financedigest.com/industrial-magnetrons-market-competitive-growth-strategies-based-on-type-applications-end-user-and-region.html "Industrial Magnetrons Market Competitive Growth Strategies Based on Type, Applications, End User and Region") up in the hands of attackers. In the event of an attack, this should theoretically reduce the attack surface, mitigating disruption and post-attack recovery requirements.

For endpoints, such as company laptops, users should be required to use two-factor authentication (2FA), technologies such as a physical key card, or a one-time passcode (OTP) generated via SMS or a [mobile authentication app](https://www.financedigest.com/why-you-should-use-a-mobile-banking-app-and-how-to-make-the-most-of-it.html "Why You Should Use a Mobile Banking App – and How to Make the Most of It").

**Automation**

![KC Sreeram](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/kc-sreeram-1736838647727-compressed.png)

KC Sreeram

[Cybersecurity automation has huge potential to reduce security risks across your network](https://www.financedigest.com/new-demands-on-network-security.html "NEW DEMANDS ON NETWORK SECURITY"). Where human intervention can take minutes to hours, [artificial intelligence](https://www.financedigest.com/the-future-of-artificial-intelligence-in-cyber-security.html "The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security") (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms can instantly respond to threats.

As an example, say an [attacker manages](https://www.financedigest.com/finding-it-hard-to-recruit-good-it-security-managers-dont-leave-yourself-vulnerable-to-attack.html "Finding it hard to recruit good IT security managers? Don’t leave yourself vulnerable to attack") to compromise a user account with high-security clearance. The AI or ML algorithm could detect that the user is logging in from a different location or is not scheduled to be [working on that day](https://www.financedigest.com/no-more-five-working-days-how-getting-paid-immediately-can-transform-black-friday-for-merchants.html "No more ‘five working days’ – how getting paid immediately can transform Black Friday for merchants"), or use heuristics to detect abnormal and potentially malicious activity. This data-driven inferencing can enable self-healing cybersecurity automation, stopping attacks before they have time to start.

These same algorithms could be used to ensure critical cybersecurity tasks are [performed during a business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-business-owners-can-improve-their-operational-and-financial-performance-through-contactless-and-card-payments.html "How Business Owners can Improve their Operational and Financial Performance through Contactless and Card Payments") continuity emergency. This would entail the integration of cybersecurity monitoring tools with workflow automation tools, allowing AI to take over when human intervention is limited or unavailable.

**Regular Testing**

For both cybersecurity and business continuity, regular [testing is the best way](https://www.financedigest.com/in-shanghai-lockdown-blues-make-way-for-covid-testing-gripes.html "In Shanghai, lockdown blues make way for COVID testing gripes") to make sure your plans work in practice.

With cybersecurity, regular penetration [testing can help security](https://www.financedigest.com/london-police-say-queens-funeral-poses-biggest-ever-security-test.html "London police say queen’s funeral poses biggest ever security test") teams identify hidden problems. This could include simple brute force attempts using password dictionaries or more advanced approaches like a circumvention of RBAC policies and SQL injections. These [tests can be automated](https://www.financedigest.com/cognitive-automation-ca-to-drive-the-genetic-diagnostic-testing-market.html "Cognitive automation (CA) to drive the Genetic Diagnostic Testing Market") with AI if desired, providing continuous penetration testing and feedback.

Relating back to business continuity, essential business activities should be modeled as workflows. This will [digitalize standard](https://www.financedigest.com/standard-chartered-rolls-out-digital-bank-in-hot-singapore-market.html "Standard Chartered rolls out digital bank in hot Singapore market") manual processes used by key stakeholders and staff, allowing for simulated business continuity disasters that can be conducted in a sandbox environment.

Examples could include [supply chain](https://www.financedigest.com/german-engineering-firms-expect-hit-from-supply-chain-bottlenecks-next-year.html "German engineering firms expect hit from supply chain bottlenecks next year") purchasing and sales, emergency system access by stakeholders and IT teams, disaster recovery (DR) or replication after a natural disaster, or major traffic disruption preventing employees from attending the office.

**Worst-Case Scenario Communications**

In a worst-case scenario, all business-supplied methods of communication will cease to function. This means cybersecurity teams cannot contact each other to fix problems collaboratively; stakeholders cannot [communicate the disruption and subsequent plans](https://www.financedigest.com/a-ccm-platform-is-crucial-to-your-customer-communication-plans-heres-why.html "A CCM platform is crucial to your customer communication plans: here’s why") to staff; customer requests via email and telephone go unanswered—and the list goes on.

Staff members who [play a critical role in your business continuity plan must](https://www.financedigest.com/advisors-must-play-a-bigger-role-in-unlocking-scale-up-potential.html "Advisors must play a bigger role in unlocking scale up potential") share and store contact information for use in these emergency scenarios. This ensures that—in a worst-case scenario—marketing teams can inform customers of the disruption via [social media](https://www.financedigest.com/yoono-discuss-the-importance-of-social-media-checks.html "Yoono discuss The Importance of Social Media Checks"), department heads can instruct staff not to attend the office, and continuity collaborators can communicate to expedite recovery from the disaster.

This will enable proactive communications to all affected parties, minimizing damage to your reputation [despite the damage to your operations](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-pub-operator-wetherspoons-loss-narrows-despite-higher-costs.html "UK pub operator Wetherspoon’s loss narrows despite higher costs").

[**Business Continuity and Cybersecurity Go Hand in Hand – Be Prepared**](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-upskilling-to-prepare-for-business-automation.html "The importance of upskilling to prepare for business automation")

Every business will eventually need to contend with some form of significant [technology](https://www.financedigest.com/how-technology-consultants-impact-business-growth.html "How Technology Consultants Impact Business Growth") business disruption, and increasingly they will be malicious. Ask yourself how you can [sustain business](https://www.financedigest.com/nfts-live-streams-sustainable-businesses-and-social-shopping-what-to-prioritise-in-commerce-this-year.html "NFTs, live streams, sustainable businesses and social shopping – what to prioritise in commerce this year") continuity in these scenarios, then define and test cybersecurity measures and remediation processes to work around these disruptions.

Read More about [Cybersecurity on Trianz.com](https://www.trianz.com/partnerships/cybersecurity/aws-security-partner).

**This is a Sponsored Feature.**


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