What You Can Learn From 1,000 IT and Security Leaders

In an era where cyber threats loom larger and more complex than ever, the 2024 Cyber Recovery Readiness Report, a collaborative effort between Commvault and GigaOm, provides critical insights and actionable intelligence to guide CISOs, CIOs, and IT and security decision-makers through the evolving landscape of cyber resilience. 

Our comprehensive survey of 1,000 cybersecurity and IT leaders from across the globe reveals a stark reality: 83% of organizations have experienced a material security breach, with over 50% occurring in the past year alone. This prevalence underscores the urgent need for robust cyber recovery strategies that require a broader spectrum for practices that go beyond traditional disaster recovery plans. 

Key Findings:

Markers of Maturity 

While organizations may cite specific measures as priorities, it’s how they behave that truly matters. While the most resilient organizations employ many measures to boost recovery readiness, we saw five practices rise to the top when determining true readiness: 

1. Security tools that enable early warning about risk, including insider risk. 
2. A known-clean dark site or secondary system in place. 
3. An isolated environment to store an immutable copy of the data. 
4. Defined runbooks, roles, and processes for incident response. 
5. Specific measures to show cyber recovery readiness and risk. 

An organization’s level of cyber maturity can be measured by the presence of these five markers. The most mature, cyber-ready organizations demonstrate four or five of these. In the case of cyber readiness, cutting corners can undermine success. 

Cyber Maturity and Confidence 

Only 4% of surveyed organizations have deployed all five markers of cyber recovery readiness, yet these markers are crucial for rapid recovery and resilience. Organizations with higher levels of cyber maturity report significantly greater confidence in their recovery capabilities, with mature organizations recovering 41% faster than respondents with only zero or one marker, and 24% faster than those with two or three markers.  

Challenges in Cyber Recovery 

The top challenges faced by organizations today include the complexity of critical applications and data, the cost of implementing robust recovery solutions, and a lack of clear responsibility for driving cyber resilience strategies. 

Prioritize Regular Testing 

Frequent and regular testing of cyber recovery plans is indispensable for ensuring readiness and resilience. Our findings reveal a significant disparity in testing practices between breached and non-breached organizations. While only 2% of organizations that have experienced breaches neglect testing their recovery plans, a concerning 20% of those never breached fail to test at all. A proactive approach in rigorous testing helps these organizations refine their recovery processes and maintain high readiness levels against potential cyber threats. 

How to use our report

The 2024 Cyber Recovery Readiness Report serves as a roadmap for enhancing cyber resilience, providing leaders with the insights needed to fortify their organizations against the inevitable challenges of the digital age. By understanding the landscape, acknowledging the risks, and implementing recommended practices, your organization can achieve a state of readiness that not only protects but also empowers.