Listen up, business leaders! We’re about to clear up a fog that plagues many of you: the difference between incident response and BCDR (Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery). Let’s face it, these terms get tossed around like acronyms in a tech convention, but when a real security threat comes knocking, knowing the right order to deploy these plans is the difference between a minor blip and a full-blown catastrophe.

So, grab your coffee, ditch the panic button, and let’s break it down!

Imagine your business as a sturdy stool, resting on three strong legs. Each leg plays a crucial role in keeping you balanced and upright, even when things get shaky. In the world of cybersecurity, those legs are Incident Response (IR), Business Continuity (BC), and Disaster Recovery (DR).

But here’s the key: these legs work together in a specific order, like a well-designed emergency protocol. Understanding this order is crucial for business owners like you to ensure your company survives and thrives amidst security threats.

1. First Responder: Incident Response (IR)

Imagine a SWAT team storming a server room. That’s IR. When a security incident like a malware attack or data breach hits, IR springs into action. Their mission? Contain the damage, stop the bleeding, and minimize the immediate impact. Think of them as your frontline defenders, isolating infected systems, securing sensitive data, and hunting down the intruders.

Example: A suspicious email opens a backdoor for hackers. IR leaps into action, isolating the affected computer, resetting passwords, and notifying authorities. They then work to identify the hackers and prevent further infiltration.

1. Keeping the Lights On: Business Continuity (BC)

While IR deals with the fire, BC acts as your emergency generator. Their job is to keep your business operational through the crisis. This means rerouting systems, activating backups, and ensuring critical functions like customer service and communication channels stay up and running, even amidst the chaos. Think of them as the cool-headed crew ensuring your customers still get served coffee while the IT team puts out the flames.

Example: The same email attack takes down your main server, but thanks to BC planning, backups are readily available and restored quickly. Customer service shifts to a secondary location, and pre-arranged communication channels like a conference call keep everyone informed.

1. Last Resort: Disaster Recovery (DR)

Let’s be honest, sometimes the situation goes beyond even the bravest IR team and the most resourceful BC crew. That’s when DR steps in, your knight in shining armor. Think of DR as a complete system rebuild from scratch, potentially at a remote location. It’s a last-ditch effort, taking days or even weeks to get things back to normal.

Example: A natural disaster destroys your data center and backup facility. DR would activate a disaster recovery site, rebuild systems from the ground up, and gradually bring everything back online.

Now, here’s the crucial part: these plans don’t work like a three-course meal. You don’t start with DR and work your way back. It’s all about prioritization:

1. First, IR gets the call. Contain the immediate threat, stop the attackers, and minimize the damage.
2. Then, BC steps in. Keep the business running as smoothly as possible, using redundancies and backups to maintain operations.
3. DR is only a last resort, when both IR and BC are overwhelmed by a catastrophic event.

Don’t be left in the dark! Invest in creating and testing these plans, train your employees, and remember, during a security crisis, a calm head and a clear understanding of the order of action are your most valuable assets. So, keep calm, prioritize, and let IR, BC, and DR work their magic to keep your business running like a well-oiled machine, even when the storm clouds gather.

IMPACT Group is a Certified Managed Cybersecurity Provider. We would love to learn more about what your unique security challenges are, and together turn them into opportunities where you can manage better this risk. Failing to prepare for a security event is equal to preparation for failure. Don’t let this be your story.

Get in touch with us and let’s get you started with your formal Incident Response and BCDR planning!

George Bakalov is Certified vCISO and the Director of Cybersecurity at IMPACT Group, a Minneapolis-based Managed IT Services Provider.