By Rekha Shenoy, CEO of BackBox
As cyberattacks grow more frequent and sophisticated, organizations increasingly recognize the importance of cyber resilience-not as an option but as a necessity. Recent data shows that 94% of cloud users were targeted by attacks every month in 2023, with 62% of those attacks successfully breaching defenses. Yet, while much attention is given to securing data and endpoints, network infrastructure such as routers, switches, and firewalls are often overlooked despite their critical role in maintaining resilience and business continuity. It’s time to refocus on building a resilient network infrastructure.
Cyber resilience for network infrastructure refers to the ability of networks to continue functioning, even in the face of cyberattacks, natural disasters, or human error. For organizations, this means ensuring that network devices can prevent, withstand, and recover from disruptions. The challenge lies in managing the sheer complexity of these devices. Unlike endpoint systems, which include only a small number of operating system flavors, network infrastructure comprises hardware and software from hundreds of vendors. Maintaining a diverse set of network devices, each with its quirks and vulnerabilities, is a daunting task that even the most well-resourced organizations struggle to manage consistently. This complexity is why nearly 60% of breaches are discovered not by internal security teams but by third parties or attackers themselves (source).
The solution to this complexity is automation, but implementing it isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Many organizations hesitate to automate because existing systems often require manual coding or heavy user input, making them difficult to maintain. Moreover, automated systems do so quietly when they fail, leaving vulnerabilities unaddressed. Effective automation for network devices needs to go beyond simple scripts-it must be intelligent, adaptive, and capable of alerting administrators to failures in real time. In short, it’s crucial that automation is designed with resilience as a top priority.
The importance of cyber resilience for network infrastructure cannot be overstated. Networks are the backbone of today’s digital infrastructure, and any disruption can significantly impact business operations. Meanwhile, threat actors are growing more adept at exploiting vulnerabilities, thanks partly to artificial intelligence. In 2023, the average time it took attackers to exploit known vulnerabilities was just 44 days, with some breaches occurring within hours of a vulnerability’s disclosure (source). Simply monitoring network devices for threats or vulnerabilities is not enough. Organizations must proactively ensure their devices can detect threats and recover from disruptions swiftly.
Three core strategies for achieving network infrastructure resilience are reliable backups, configuration compliance, and proactive vulnerability management. First, organizations must have dependable, validated backups of all their network devices, allowing for quick restoration in case of a failure. Second, ongoing configuration compliance checks are essential to ensure devices continue to meet organizational and regulatory standards. If any deviations occur, they should be automatically corrected to prevent vulnerabilities from emerging. Finally, vulnerability management must be a priority, with automated systems identifying and remediating known vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
The benefits of establishing a cyber-resilient network infrastructure are far-reaching. For one, organizations can expect fewer disruptions, leading to higher network availability and better business continuity. Cyber resilience also reduces the risk of breaches, helping organizations avoid the financial and reputational damage that often follows a cyberattack. Furthermore, resilient networks are better positioned to comply with industry regulations, helping organizations avoid costly fines. By leaning into automation, businesses enhance their security posture and achieve a strong return on investment by reducing manual work and improving operational efficiency.
In today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, cyber resilience is no longer just a defensive strategy-it’s an operational imperative. Building resilience into network infrastructure through automation and proactive management is critical to staying ahead of the ever-increasing risks.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rekha Shenoy, CEO at BackBox, brings over 25 years of B2B tech leadership experience. Formerly Chief Product Officer at Syndio and Chief Revenue Officer at Spirion, she drives product development and market expansion in security-centric automation, with prior experience orchestrating buy and sell-side acquisitions, notably at Tripwire and BMC Software.
