Published on 22 January 2025

Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that we are facing a series of systemic risks (climate, geopolitical and cybersecurity) that impact our businesses, whether in information systems, supply chains or at an end-to-end level. It's not been five years since COVID burst onto the world stage, an example that unfortunately highlighted this fragility.

That is why risk management today is being extended to encompass a broader concept: resilience. This term, which was initially used in physics and engineering to describe the ability of a material to return to its original shape after being deformed, has become part of not only the language of ecology and psychology, but also of the corporate and technological domain.

At a business level, it is no longer a question of avoiding risks, but of minimising their impact by designing organisations that can recover quickly and learn from the situation in order to face new risks in the future with greater resilience.

 

This principle strongly applies to cyber security today. The risks are growing: the exposure map is increasing, and digital ecosystems require connectivity with customers, suppliers and different actors. And the question is not whether we will be attacked, but when we will be attacked and what the outcome of the forensic analysis will be.

Attacks (whether specifically targeted at a company, or by having been fortuitously involved in them) are, in part, unavoidable. It is therefore important to focus on resilience and prepare to minimise its impacts (by anticipating), to recover quickly and, above all, to learn from what has happened. Otherwise, we will react in an unscheduled manner during the incident, with high uncertainty.

Ultimately, it is about transforming cyber security into cyber resilience, which means prioritising resilience over defence.

It is an integral concept in the digital age, which aims to strengthen the ability of systems, organisations and nations to cope with cyber events or attacks. This approach not only seeks prevention, but encompasses anticipation, response and recovery in the field of cybersecurity.

This paradigm represents not only a set of security measures, but rather a comprehensive philosophy ranging from prevention to constant adaptation. It is dynamic, evolving with the changing nature of digital threats.

Prevention, which is the first line of defence, deploys proactive measures such as firewalls and anti-virus, but constant detection is equally crucial. Cyber resilience is not just a static shield; it is a dynamic bastion that evolves with the changing nature of digital threats.

What sets it apart is its ability to adapt. In an ever-changing digital environment, constant updating of security policies, procedures and technologies ensures that defence keeps pace with emerging challenges. It is more than a response to threats; it is a mindset that drives innovation.

It is thus strengthened not only through essential prevention, detection, response and recovery measures, but also through additional aspects that strengthen its foundation:

  1. Awareness raising and training: ongoing training provides knowledge about cyber threats and nurtures an internal culture of security. Well-informed teams become a strong defence front.
  2. Collaboration and coordination: active collaboration with other entities and participation in the cybersecurity community weaves a stronger defence network.
  3. Evaluation and continuous improvement: This identifies areas for improvement and adjusts security strategies and prepares us for the unknown.
  4. Diversification of defences: depending on various factors, it creates a robust and adaptable defence front.
  5. Risk management: proactive management drives informed decision-making, being a strategic safeguard and compass.

As we move into the future, cyber resilience will be more than a defensive strategy; it will be a driver of innovation and progress. Those organisations and nations that adopt this mindset will lead the way to a more secure and prosperous digital future. It is not just a technical term; it is a commitment to survival and excellence in an ever-changing digital world.