As World Backup Day approaches on March 31st, data security figure Anneka Gupta, Chief Product Officer at Rubrik, emphasises the rising importance of cyber resilience in aiding organisations to fortify themselves against cyber threats.

According to Gupta, relying solely on World Backup Day is insufficient in our fluid cybersecurity threat landscape. Instead, it is crucial we usher in "the era of cyber resilience, where the combination of cyber posture and cyber recovery will help to create a cyber resilient future and prepare organisations for any threat, at any stage of an attack."

This declaration comes in the wake of evidence from a Rubrik Zero Labs State of Data Security report last year, which identified that not only had 93% of external organisations experienced attempts by malicious actors to disrupt data backups during a cyberattack, but 73% reported that these attempts were at least partially successful.

Gupta also examined the role of data recovery and backup systems, frequently referred to as an organisation's last line of defence. In her perspective, "traditional solutions are no longer cutting it." The questionable reliability of these solutions raises severe doubts about security, pivoting the critical question for organisations from 'What backup solution do we have?' to 'Do I trust the solution and strategy I have in place?'

According to Gupta, the path to a cyber-resilient future requires organisations to execute three key strategies. Firstly, ensuring that data has suitable authentication and access controls can prevent cybercriminals from exploiting system vulnerabilities.

Secondly, possessing an ability to oversee vulnerable data and those affected when systems are compromised empowers IT and security teams to evaluate risks effectively and respond swiftly to threats.

Lastly, regular simulation and testing of recovery strategies are recommended. This ensures that organisations are prepared to restore critical data and systems with confidence in the event of an actual attack and without reintroducing malware.

While World Backup Day still retains significance, Gupta urges a transformation in our understanding of cyber security and a shift from mere data backup to cyber resilience. "It's time to celebrate the era of cyber resilience," Gupta advises.

By merging data stance and recovery strategies, she believes organisations can not only endure any cyber threat they face but also successfully recover their operations post-attack. Hence, the concept of data backup should evolve into a more holistic and innovative approach to secure an organisation's cyber future.

Anneka Gupta is the Chief Product Officer at Rubrik, a technology company that offers cloud data management solutions. Founded in 2014, Rubrik provides a backup, recovery, archival, analytics, and copy data management platform for hybrid cloud enterprises. Its solutions are designed to simplify data management across on-premises, cloud, and edge environments, enabling organisations to protect, access, and manage their data more efficiently.

Rubrik's platform is known for its ease of use, scalability, and comprehensive feature set, catering to the needs of businesses dealing with increasingly complex data management challenges.