Cyber-resilience has become more crucial than ever, as demonstrated by the recent CrowdStrike incident that led to widespread IT outages. This event, deemed “the largest IT outage in history,” disrupted critical services like air traffic control and government departments, showing how even a small percentage of offline devices can cause global chaos. Microsoft estimated that around 8.5 million devices were affected, highlighting the far-reaching impact of such failures.

Organizations, especially those involved in critical infrastructure, need to prioritize comprehensive cyber-resilience plans. These plans, regularly tested alongside business partners, are essential for minimizing downtime and ensuring faster recovery during incidents. However, reliance on single vendors or outdated technology, as humorously highlighted by Southwest Airlines using Windows 3.1, is not a sustainable strategy.

Learning from the CrowdStrike event, businesses must diversify their technology solutions to reduce risks. Thorough post-incident reviews can also help improve preparedness for future threats. It’s clear that building cyber-resilience isn’t just about responding to incidents; it’s about maintaining business continuity in an increasingly unpredictable cyber landscape. By strengthening defenses and adapting to new challenges, companies can better protect themselves against the growing complexities of cyber threats.

Anscombe, Tony. 2024. “Building Cyber-Resilience: Lessons Learned from the CrowdStrike Incident” We Live Security. Jul. 23. READ: https://bit.ly/3ZFkIuL

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