Cybersecurity and Business Continuity: Threats, Plans, Trends

This report delves into the critical role of cybersecurity in ensuring business continuity. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the significance of cybersecurity for businesses of all sizes and identifies common threats like phishing, malware, DDoS, and ransomware. A literature review supports the importance of IT security. The report then details these threats, explaining their impact on data management and business operations. It proceeds to outline strategic plans, including business continuity plans, data backups, employee training, and the use of security tools. Furthermore, it explores emerging trends such as banking system upgrades, rapid response software, and anti-activist measures. The conclusion emphasizes the need for proactive security measures and continuous system upgrades to safeguard businesses against evolving threats. The report references key sources on cybersecurity and business continuity management.

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The role of cyber security for the continuity of business
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Contents
Executive summary...............................................................................................................................2
Literature review...................................................................................................................................2
Description............................................................................................................................................2
Common Cyber security threats for business.....................................................................................2
Strategic plan to handle cyber security threats...................................................................................4
Emerging Trend in cyber security......................................................................................................4
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................5
Reference...............................................................................................................................................5
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Executive summary
Cyber security is one of the top concern for any small, medium, or large scale business.
Cyber security threats always make business to suffer more, and four types of cyber security
threats for business are reported as Phishing attack, malware attack, and Distributed denial of
service attack and ransom ware. It is very important to prepare a strategic plan which can
help business to prevent cyber security attacks and strengthen the internal and external
network. Some of the recommended steps to handle cyber security attacks will be discussed
in this report. From small to large business they have started taking initiatives so that they can
fight from hacking and unethical activities. We will discuss some of the latest trends in cyber
security space in this report.
Literature review
According to this paper Järveläinen, J. (2019). it is being observed that it has highlighted on
the common steps which should be taken by managers of IT companies so that they can
maintain security at their place. Cloud computing, inter organizational system and operations
work should be managed in specified plan so that they can protect their company from any
kind of damage. However, that is not enough according to current trends because there are
many modification which has been took place so that every moment of work hours can be
secured. We will discuss some of the steps to tackle cyber security attacks in this paper.
Description
Common Cyber security threats for business
Most of the business has to come across many challenges and attacks if there security system
is not strength enough to handle any predictable or unpredictable threats. Some of the cyber
security threats which can affect the continuity of business are listed as Distributed denial of
service attack, phishing, ransom ware, malware attack. These are very common since the
deployment of Information technology in business but most of the time user always made
mistake and the network security get compromised. If security system in internal or external
network compromised that cause many problem in terms of data management.
Malware attack
Some common mistake which we make during our work time is ignore notification and that
make us little closer to the attack. For example if antivirus pop up alert for update of security
is missed that is the reason of attack, or if user can mistakenly clicked on malicious email
attachment. If any malicious email attachment has been downloaded in the computer or
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network that can be vulnerable and can cause data breach. Attackers strive to get inside the
user computer so that they can enter in office network and made disruptions as per their
demand. This situation make business to suffer more because they do not know through
which mode attackers has entered in their network. It is difficult to notice such type of attack
because some time it takes more time to notify security management to inform about the
attack.
Phishing
Phishing attack is very easy to be planned by attackers because most of the time we made this
mistake and become victim. Suppose user need to open some file or attachment and instead
of that it demands users to download or install some other software then that cause security
system to get compromised. There can be situation where attackers can send email like
trusted users and mistakenly users will open this mail as they think it arrives from their boss
or superiors. This is very common mistake which cause users to suffer a lot in terms of
privacy and security of data.
Ransomware
It is the situation when attackers illegally keep some important data, files or folders and they
demand some money for it. By the use of unethical practises they get inside the network and
steal important data and information and to reveal those data they demand money from the
company. That again cause business to shut down immediately and also it affects in the
productive hours of the business.
DDoS
Distributed denial of service attack is something which when happen in any company can
cause huge loss in the smooth running of business. When there is increased number of users
in any website more than its service loads then that can cause websites to behave improperly.
When there is increased number of traffic on any site than its limit then it will not display
users the site pages correctly. The reason behind attackers perform this activity is that they
want the site to shut down completely. This makes business huge loss because without
website most of the work cannot be completed in its normal way.
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Strategic plan to handle cyber security threats
I. Make a business continuity plan in which always make separate section for work
or department. There are some section in companies which can’t be shut down for
a minute or two because that can bring huge loss, that section should be
immediately started after the disaster to prevent the loss.
II. Make a backup of all data so that it can be immediately used for recovery for
important files and folders.
III. Engage employee and superiors in training section which deals about the steps to
maintain optimum security at work. Dos and Don’ts should be included in these
section so that employee can understand how they can maintain security at work.
IV. Use of virus detection and removal tools helps business to identify and mitigate
risk so that they can work in protective environment.
Emerging Trend in cyber security
I. Banking system upgrade where banking process will be made easier, simpler but
difficult to hack because its security system is being upgraded every interval so
that any unethical issues could not affect business continuity. The e time windows
is designed such that it allows the authority to catch up the threat and freeze the
fund immediately which allows companies to save their revenue. Revenue
maintenance is very much important for the smooth running of business and that
is possible to be saved if banking system is being upgraded to latest security
system.
II. Use of software tool which can immediately send response no matter it is about
the threat or notification which can be needed to upgrade the security system.
III. Anti-activists attack helps companies to fight from threat and protect the system.
Displacement of workers to different team or company can cause social issues and
that is not recommended in most of the situation. Activist always plan smartly to
make disruptions and that can be tackled by Anti activist groups in the companies.
Conclusion
While concluding this research we have come across ill effects of cyber security attacks.
Further we have discussed how to strengthen the network and system to be protected from
any kind of unethical activities. As a result of this research we have found that use of
software tool and upgrade of security system is the current demand of any business and not
only small but larger companies should be more alert and attentive regarding these matters.
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Reference
Admin, R. (2019). Common Types of Cybersecurity Attacks and Hacking Techniques |
Rapid7. Retrieved from https://www.rapid7.com/fundamentals/types-of-attacks/
Järveläinen, J. (2019). Information security and business continuity management in
interorganizational IT relationships | Information Management & Computer Security | Vol
20, No 5. Retrieved from
https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/09685221211286511?
fullSc=1&journalCode=imcs
Nish, D. (2019). Business continuity has a defined role with cyber resilience strategies.
Retrieved from https://www.thebci.org/news/business-continuity-has-a-defined-role-with-
cyber-resilience-strategies.html
Tanner, B. (2019). Three Steps to Integrating Cybersecurity With Business Continuity.
Retrieved from https://www.drj.com/myblog/three-steps-to-integrating-cybersecurity-with-
business-continuity.html
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