Business Continuity Planning involves a process that helps organizations set up an effective system. The system also contributes to preventing and recovering from hazardous threats. The BCP ensures that all assets and personnel are protected from cyber-attacks. Moreover, it ensures that all core activities remain uninterrupted during a severe disaster.
Cyber-attacks must test the BCPs for any possible weaknesses which must be identified and corrected. Physical and software risks are taken into consideration in the planning process for the company. It works by identifying risks and devising a plan to counter them.
Cyber experts must test their BCPs and identify the loopholes to correct them by implementing cyber prevention methods. A decisive planning process must be crafted to ensure effective strategies are continuously supervised.
Why is BCP so important in OT and ICS?
Most industrial zones worldwide are susceptible to weather impacts and other natural events such as ICT, electricity, gas, etc. All problems related to these fields are crucial. The climate change problems often become severe with time.
All these lifeline utilities are necessary for any industry to continue production as other crucial sectors rely heavily on road transport. Moreover, Business Continuity Plans are essential to reinstate as they’re responsible for resuming business activities in case of any misadventure. In a nutshell, BCP is necessary for OT and ICS as they help cyber resistance.
Cyber companies like Salvador Technologies use generic approaches to develop a business continuity plan that works effectively. However, while devising an effective BCP, the critical thing to consider is to keep in mind all risks and the seriousness of the hazards afflicting the industrial zones. Moreover, essential criteria are to be developed to forecast the results in case of BCP framework failure.
Elements Crucial for Business Continuity Plan:
A business Continuity Plan is considered the backbone of certain businesses which are not immune from cyber-attacks. The said plans are crafted to ensure business continuity during a crisis. Risk assessment is the most basic and necessary element in devising a better BCP framework. A critical approach entails identifying hazards, prioritizing lifelines, and identifying and implementing actions during specific emergencies.
1. Identifying Hazards:
BCP level determination is one of the most crucial steps. As a cyber expert, you need to equip yourself with the following questions:
Which natural hazards are forecasted shortly?
What is the location of all these hazards?
Which necessary lifeline utilities are directly affected due to hazards?
These questions will help you know the severity of the crisis and can help in adopting best practices to counter it.
2. Prioritizing Lifeline Utilities:
After identifying the potential threats, you’re now required to highlight all the necessary lifeline utilities required to remain uninterrupted. The following questions can help you prioritize your lifeline utilities:
What is the rate of operation of the lifeline utilities?
Which lifeline utility should be restored first, based on location and damage specifications?
The questions are vital as they help you first categorize the core business utilities to save.
3. Identifying Actions:
The central part of a practical PCB framework is to implement actions that minimize the severity or impact. Therefore, you need to ask the cyber security team:
“Which actions need to be taken?” This step is linked with the rules and procedures that must be implemented to keep things smooth.
4. Implementing Actions:
This step refers to the actions that must be reinforced first. For example, the following questions may arise while creating a comprehensive BCP framework:
Which Stakeholders are responsible for the execution of measures?
which material and equipment needs to be gathered?
This method has proved to be very beneficial for cyber companies to create a plan that works best in any case.
Salvador Technologies' solution for BCP
Salvador Technologies has been working for years to ensure an effective backup and recovery plan for its customers during cyber-attacks. The online and offline cyber recovery mechanisms include Data Backup, Replication, and Recovery. Our latest cyber recovery software makes all this possible. We ensure that your business's operational continuity remains unaffected during tough times.
FAQs
What is a BCP process ?
Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is a company's process of implementing a prevention and recovery system. The system then works to save businesses from potential cyber-attacks and disasters.
Who is responsible for BCP?
How often should a business continuity plan be tested?
