As businesses become more reliant on technology, the danger of cyber incidents also grows. Downtime caused by an attack, outage, or natural disaster can cost companies millions in recovery costs, lost revenue, and more. And the risk doesn’t stop there: one report states that 90% of businesses that don’t reopen within 5 days of an incident will close permanently within a year.
Without a proper disaster recovery plan and cybersecurity measures, businesses unnecessarily expose themselves to devastating consequences. Today’s post will outline how you can make sure your incident response strategy is up to par—and what you can do if it isn’t.
Disaster Recovery Plan: What It Is and Why It Matters
A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a strategy for restoring operations and protecting critical data and systems in the event of a disruption, such as a cyber attack or natural disaster. It includes procedures for:
- Backup and Restoration
- System Recovery
- Data Protection
An incomprehensive or weak DRP leaves businesses vulnerable to extended downtime, significant data loss, higher recovery expenses, low customer satisfaction, and heightened risk of further damage. By keeping a close eye on your disaster recovery plan and cybersecurity strategies, you can avoid gaps like the ones discussed below and sidestep potential losses.
5 Signs Your Disaster Recovery Plan is Weak
If you notice any of these problems in your disaster recovery plan or cybersecurity, it’s probably time for a refresh.
1. Frequent Downtime
Downtime is incredibly expensive, with maintenance costs, wasted materials, lost sales, customer dissatisfaction, reputational damage, and more adding up very quickly.
Your business can’t afford to handle these long or frequent spells of downtime, which is why speed is a key aspect of DRPs. Ensure your plan emphasizes continuity and getting you back online swiftly with strategies like data replication, failover systems, and alternate processing sites.
2 . Irregular (or Non-existent) Backup Schedule
One of the fundamental elements of an effective disaster recovery plan and cybersecurity strategy is data backup. If you haven’t updated your backup plan in a while, run backups inconsistently, or don’t even have a schedule, it becomes much more difficult to retrieve data after a breach or outage.
A simple way to overcome this gap is by implementing automated backups as part of your new DRP. You won’t have to worry about remembering to run the backups manually, and you’ll know where to find and recover data in the event of a disaster.
3. Outdated DR Plan or Technology
Outdated hardware, software, and infrastructures make it difficult to maintain a DRP because legacy systems often can’t address modern threats or keep up with growing business needs.
To avoid leaving your organization vulnerable to extended downtime and loss, update your disaster recovery and cybersecurity methods regularly to ensure they’re still effective. Don’t hesitate to consult with a knowledgeable IT provider for ideas on staying safe from the latest threats.
4. Inadequate Testing and Training
A DRP plan is only as good as whoever carries it out. If your team isn’t updated on their roles within the plan, or you’ve never checked to ensure all your processes work smoothly, you’re at risk of chaos and extra losses during a real incident.
You can steer clear of this possibility by holding regular trainings to remind everyone of their roles and giving them a chance to ask questions. Set up a testing schedule (generally once a year or more) and evaluate performance after each drill. Make any adjustments necessary so that you’ll have a quick, effective disaster response ready when the time comes.
5. No Clear Communication Plan in Place
Clear communication plays a crucial role in incident management. By keeping stockholders, employees, customers, and the public informed at appropriate moments, you can help them stay in the loop and understand their responsibilities.
A well-defined communication strategy includes who should be contacted when and what information/instructions they should be given. Establish who will reach out to different parties, and confirm that contact lists are readily available. Ensure your staff knows how you’ll communicate in a disaster and what they should do to aid in the recovery process.
Revamp Your DRP with Praxis
If you’re worried about data loss, downtime, or customer satisfaction, Praxis’s disaster recovery plan and cybersecurity services are exactly what you need. We’ll work closely with your team to develop personalized strategies for avoiding and bouncing back from cyber incidents smoothly and securely.
Our focus is on prevention and proactivity, and our number one objective is your safety and success. Ready for better preparedness and greater peace of mind? Set up a call with one of our techs to start redesigning your DRP.
