Don’t let software compromise your resilience: 5 risks to business continuity

March 2014

Counting the cost of inefficient software resiliency

When software continuity is interrupted it doesn’t just affect employees ability to work, it impacts the bottom line

Unavailable systems can affect customers, reduce sales, impact brand reputation and undermine trust

The 5 key areas in this SlideShare, will help you identify where your business continuity and security could be at risk

How long has it been since you assessed the resiliency of your software?

With business critical software in use everyday, across different departments, systems need to be uninterrupted and always available

With this comes the challenge of keeping downtime to an absolute minimum

This level of business resilience can only be achieved by assessing the risks

Risk 1: Software Providers

Are your Service Level Agreements (SLAs) up to scratch?

If your software or application is business critical, then make sure the SLA matches your expectations

What level of support will the vendor provide in the event of a problem?

Always check out the vendor’s reputation and security record – a problem in the supply chain can soon become your problem

Risk 2: Legacy Systems

Is your legacy system compatible with your security?

If your legacy system has been patched up in the past or integrated via APIs, it could be vulnerable to threats from cyber crime

Do you still have the staff who know how to look after the legacy software?

Does your system have the capacity and speed to cope with the increasing requirements of modern business?

Risk 3: Malicious Attacks

Have you considered all sources of security threats?

Criminals are always developing increasingly sophisticated ways of accessing business systems

Hackers could target anything from your website and emails to social media accounts, mobiles and WIFI

Be prepared for threats to your business as well as making sure you’re ready for any failures in your suppliers’

Risk 4: Environmental Impact

Can your contingency plan cope with the weather?

If your business critical applications are accessible remotely, how secure are employees’ internet connections?

What if there’s a power failure? How long will it take your internet provider to re-connect your service?

Who is liable for any loss of earnings during a period of downtime?

Risk 5: The Human Equation

Despite the most impenetrable software, humans are a risk

Deliberate internal sabotage is rare but there is risk from disgruntled staff - perform appropriate checks on those responsible for sensitive information

Banish poor behaviour such as lazy passwords, unlocked desktops and laptops left overnight

Don’t forget that accidents happen – be it by the unintentional click of a mouse or tripping over an exposed cable!

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