Today is Remembrance Day, and as a veteran, it holds profound meaning for me.
It’s a time to honour those who gave their tomorrow so we could have our today.
A day for reflection, gratitude, and remembering the sacrifices made to protect our freedoms.
Reflecting on the act of remembrance itself, I couldn’t help but think about how, in the rush of our daily lives, we often forget important things.
In the cyber world, where speed and efficiency dominate, the art of remembering can sometimes be neglected - and it’s a risk no business can afford.
Here’s why remembering matters in the context of cyber resilience and how it can protect your business.
1. Remember to Protect the Basics
The fundamentals of cyber security are like the foundation of a house.
Yet, it’s often the simple things - updating software, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), or backing up data - that get overlooked in the hustle of everyday operations.
We remember to innovate, to strategise, and to grow, but forgetting these basics can leave businesses exposed to threats.
It’s like heading into a battle unarmed.
Question to Ask Your Team:
When was the last time we audited our cyber hygiene?
Are we actively updating software and enforcing MFA across all systems?
2. Remember the Lessons of the Past
In both history and cyber security, those who don’t learn from past mistakes are often doomed to repeat them.
Cyber incidents, whether it’s a phishing scam or a ransomware attack, often follow familiar patterns.
By remembering past incidents, analysing them, and adapting our defences, we can prevent history from repeating itself.
Question to Ask Your Team:
What did we learn from our last cyber incident or near miss?
Are we applying those lessons to improve our defences?
3. Remember to Stay Vigilant
Complacency is the enemy of resilience.
In cyber security, threats evolve constantly.
New vulnerabilities appear, and attackers refine their methods.
Remembering to stay vigilant means regularly reviewing your defences, testing your incident response plan, and ensuring your team remains aware of emerging threats.
Question to Ask Your Team:
How are we staying ahead of the latest cyber threats?
Do we regularly train and test our staff to recognise risks?
4. Remember Your Shared Responsibility
On Remembrance Day, we honour collective sacrifices made for the greater good.
Similarly, cyber resilience isn’t the responsibility of just one person or department, it’s a shared effort across the entire organisation.
From the CEO to the newest hire, everyone plays a role in protecting your business.
Question to Ask Your Team:
Does everyone understand their role in our cyber resilience strategy?
Are we fostering a culture of security across all levels?
5. Remember the Importance of Backup Plans
Just as “no plan survives contact with an enemy” and nations prepare for emergencies during times of war, businesses must prepare for the inevitability of cyber incidents.
Backups are your safety net, both for your data and your business continuity.
Remembering to test those backups ensures they’ll work when you need them most.
Question to Ask Your Team:
Are we testing our backups regularly?
Do we have a clear plan for restoring operations after a cyber incident?
6. Remember to Honour the Quiet Heroes
In cyber security, it’s often the unseen efforts, like monitoring systems, running vulnerability scans, and responding to alerts, that prevent disasters.
Take time to recognise and support the people working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep your organisation secure.
Question to Ask Your Team:
How are we celebrating and supporting our IT and security teams?
Do they have the resources they need to succeed?
Lest We Forget—In Cyber and Beyond
On this Remembrance Day, as we honour those who sacrificed for our freedom, let’s make a pact to reflect on the importance of remembering in our modern world.
In cyber security, forgetting the basics, the lessons, or the need for vigilance can have serious consequences.
But by fostering a culture of remembrance, accountability, and shared responsibility, your business can build resilience that lasts.
At Toro Digital, we help businesses remember to protect your people, data, and reputation.
Want to ensure your business is resilient in the face of modern cyber threats?
Let’s start the conversation.