In a hyper-digitalised world, no one questions whether cyberattacks will occur, but rather when they will happen. Cybercrimes have increased in both frequency and sophistication, leaving no organisation safe, regardless of whether it’s small, medium, or large.
A recent report by Fortinet indicates that 87% of companies experienced one or more security breaches in 2023.
This situation concerns executives of major global companies: according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024, 81% of business leaders feel more exposed to cybercrime than before.
The challenge businesses face is not only to protect their data but also to safeguard their reputation and, most importantly, their relationship with consumers.
In this context, resilient cybersecurity has become organisations' best defence. But what does it entail? It is the ability of a company to anticipate, withstand, and recover from cyberattacks or technological failures.
Like an immune system that learns and strengthens with each encounter with a pathogen, cyber resilience enables an organisation not only to prevent and survive attacks but to overcome them and emerge stronger after each incident.
Survival Strategies
What should an organisation aspiring to be cyber-resilient do?
Building true cyber resilience requires a holistic approach that goes beyond simply implementing technological tools.
The first step is to have a clearly documented incident response plan that defines specific roles, chains of command, and detailed procedures for each type of potential threat.
This plan should be complemented by regular drills and stress tests, allowing teams to face realistic crisis scenarios, identify weaknesses, and adjust response strategies based on lessons learned.
Organisations must develop a strong security culture, where every employee understands their role in protecting digital assets. In this regard, employee training is essential.
"The most important aspect of preparing for cybercrime is user awareness and training, to ensure they are updated on the different attack methods used by cybercriminals and understand how to respond", says cybersecurity expert José Miguel Lavin Donoso.
Having a team of technology professionals trained in information security is also crucial. These experts not only protect digital assets and sensitive information from increasingly sophisticated threats but also ensure business continuity and strengthen trust among clients and business partners.
Another key aspect is adopting a 'security by design' model, where protection is integrated from the initial stages of any project or process, not as an added layer later on. The automation of incident responses, predictive threat analysis, and active collaboration with the security ecosystem complete the action framework.
All of this must be supported by a strong commitment from senior management, reflected in sustained investments and the strategic prioritisation of cybersecurity.
Technology as an Ally
Artificial intelligence has become a fundamental pillar of resilient cybersecurity, transforming how organisations detect, respond to, and recover from digital threats.
AI systems not only strengthen defensive capabilities but contribute directly to resilience by enabling continuous adaptation and environmental awareness.
Through machine learning, these systems can anticipate attack patterns, suggest preventive measures, and, most importantly, continually evolve their defence strategies based on accumulated experience.
When an incident occurs, AI dramatically accelerates response and recovery times, automating critical actions and providing detailed analysis.
This ability to 'learn' from each incident and continuously improve defences embodies the very essence of cyber resilience, turning each challenge into an opportunity to strengthen the organisation’s overall security posture.
However, to harness the full potential of AI in resilient cybersecurity, it’s essential to have a robust and flexible technological platform that can act swiftly and effectively against any threat.
An example of this type of proactive tool is the SAP Business Technology Platform, which integrates and extends intelligent applications, providing a solid foundation for adopting generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).
This platform not only enables companies to respond quickly to cyber threats but also provides the ability to actively prevent them, identifying and mitigating risky behaviours in real time.
Additionally, solutions such as SAP Cloud Identity Access Governance and SAP Identity and Access Management offer companies comprehensive control over access authorisations through the cloud and centralised identity management, respectively.
These tools are essential for ensuring data protection, cybersecurity, and operational resilience in an increasingly digitalised environment.
A New Paradigm
Cybersecurity Ventures’ projections are compelling: by 2031, businesses will face a ransomware attack every two seconds, a frequency that reflects the industrialisation of cybercrime. In this reality, cyber resilience emerges as the new paradigm for digital survival. The benefits are numerous: it reduces business downtime, protects reputation, saves costs, and fosters the continuous improvement of systems.
Large companies have taken the lead in this race toward cyber resilience, with initiatives and investments that have enabled them to strengthen and optimise their security systems. The situation is different for most small and medium-sized enterprises, which face greater challenges in achieving cyber resilience due to a lack of technical professionals or limited resources. Despite these obstacles, cyber resilience is an objective that all organisations, regardless of size, should aim for. The key is to start with small but firm steps: implementing basic security measures, training existing staff, and leveraging scalable technological solutions that allow for gradual growth in protection.
The real challenge is not just preparing to prevent attacks but building a flexible and resilient infrastructure that allows operations to continue even in the face of adversity. In a world where cyberattacks are inevitable, cyber resilience becomes the best investment a company can make, no matter its size, because it protects its most valuable assets: information and customer trust. It is not just a survival strategy but the path towards a safer and more sustainable digital future.
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