MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Develop Your Cyber Resilience Plan

Imagine rushing through a crowded airport with your locked suitcase. Before you can get to your closing gate, someone steps in front of you, blocking your way. Your belongings are safe in your suitcase, but you can’t proceed with your travel plans. In this analogy, your suitcase functions like cybersecurity — protecting against the attacks you can anticipate. However, because you’re lacking cyber resilience — the ability to withstand unanticipated disruption — your travel plans are foiled nevertheless.

Cybersecurity and cyber resilience are distinct concerns, and understanding the difference is key to preparing an effective response to cyberthreats. The misconception that a cybersecurity program can substitute for cyber resilience is potentially disastrous. While cybersecurity focuses on keeping attackers out, cyber resilience aims instead to minimize the mayhem caused by attackers who do manage to penetrate networks.