In the corporate world, where remote workforces and cloud technologies have become the new norm, cyber security has taken centre stage. Recent statistics underscore the growing need for resilient cyber security measures as cyber threats continue to proliferate.
The Alarming Reality: Cyber Threats on the Rise
The Cyber Security Breaches Survey, a comprehensive report on the state of cyber security in the UK, has unveiled a sobering truth. In 2022, an eye-opening 39% of surveyed businesses in the United Kingdom fell prey to cyber incidents. These attacks, characterised by their sophistication and the difficulty of preventing them, have fundamentally altered the way we perceive cyber security.
Once perceived as a possibility, cyber threats are now considered an inevitability. This shift in mindset has driven an increased demand for disaster recovery solutions that are both comprehensive and capable of rapid response and recovery. The reality is clear: businesses must take proactive measures to fortify their defences in the face of an ever-expanding digital threat landscape.
Outsourcing Proves To Be A Strategic Shift for Large UK Businesses
Among the notable trends stemming from the evolving threat landscape is the growing trend of large UK businesses choosing to outsource their cyber security operations. A staggering 60% of these enterprises have opted for this strategic move, reaping substantial benefits in the process.
The decision to outsource is motivated by several key factors, each of which underscores the wisdom behind this strategic choice:
Access to Specialised Expertise: Cyber threats have grown in complexity and scope, making it challenging for in-house teams to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape. Outsourcing security operations grants access to expert partners who specialise in staying one step ahead of cyber adversaries.
Abundant Resources: Cyber security is resource-intensive, from advanced tools and technology to personnel. By outsourcing, businesses gain access to a wealth of resources that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
Stringent Security Standards: Compliance with stringent security standards is imperative, especially for large enterprises. Expert cyber security partners are well-versed in these standards, ensuring businesses meet and exceed regulatory requirements.
By entrusting their cyber security to external partners, large UK businesses are freed from the burden of maintaining in-house cyber security teams, allowing them to focus on their core operations. This strategic shift is not merely a cost-saving measure; it is a proactive step toward enhanced cyber resilience.
The Way Forward: A Comprehensive Approach to Cyber Resilience
In light of the rising threat landscape, businesses must adopt a holistic approach to cyber resilience. This approach encompasses various elements, each essential for safeguarding business operations in an increasingly digital world.
Continuous Data Protection, or CDP, has emerged as a cornerstone of modern cyber security. CDP captures and tracks data changes, automatically saving every version of data as it evolves. This technology enables businesses to recover data at any given point in time, even mere seconds before an outage occurs. In an era of relentless cyber threats, CDP is an indispensable safety net.
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) simplifies the complexities of disaster recovery by entrusting them to external partners. These partners provide fully managed services, offering expertise from implementation to recovery. In the face of an impending disaster, DRaaS ensures swift response and recovery, allowing businesses to resume operations with minimal downtime.
Peter Moorhead, Cyber Security CTO at Telefónica Tech, underscores the importance of adopting Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) solution; “DRaaS not only empowers businesses to tackle modern cybersecurity threats with continuous data protection but also provides the expertise, resources, and standards required to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape. As cyber attacks become more sophisticated, organisations must invest in resilient disaster recovery strategies to safeguard their operations and maintain business continuity.”
With cloud computing becoming integral to business operations, it is imperative to develop strategies that ensure data security and recovery in the cloud. As businesses transition from legacy infrastructure to the cloud, disaster recovery requirements evolve. Having a trusted partner by your side who comprehends these changes is essential, regardless of whether you are in the early stages of transition or fully immersed in the cloud.
Sustainability is a crucial consideration in all areas of business, including disaster recovery. As businesses seek to minimise their environmental impact. DRaaS can mitigate the ecological footprint. By managing all backups and servers, DRaaS reduces the environmental impact associated with purchasing, maintaining, and upgrading legacy infrastructure. Additionally, the flexibility to add or remove services as needed optimises resource usage and minimises waste.
The Round-Up
The statistics from the Cyber Security Breaches Survey serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for robust security measures. Embracing continuous data protection, disaster recovery as a service, and sustainable practices not only fortifies a business’s resilience but also contributes to a more responsible and secure future. As companies navigate the dynamic landscape of business in the digital age, one thing is certain: cyber threats are a reality, and it’s up to all businesses to fortify their defences and protect their digital assets.