Supply chain instability remains a pressing issue for businesses worldwide, with three out of five companies experiencing significant disruptions due to supplier or third-party vendor failures in the past year.
Zscaler's latest report reveals that 61% of these businesses find their cyber resilience policies overly focused on internal factors. Furthermore, 65% of IT leaders suggest that external macroeconomic factors are contributing significantly to this supply chain volatility, leading 63% to anticipate a similar failure within the next year.
Cyber Resilience Policies
The Zscaler report, known as The Ripple Effect, surveyed 1,750 global IT leaders and decision-makers from companies with more than 500 employees. While a significant majority, 68%, acknowledge an increased reliance on contractors and third parties, only 40% have revised their cyber resilience strategies to reflect the growing supply chain instability.
Experienced Operational Disruption
Andy Ward, SVP International at Absolute Security, noted the substantial impact of cyberattacks on business operations when cyber resilience is insufficient. "Last year alone, we saw the extent in which high-level cyber-attacks can disrupt business operation when cyber resilience isn't robust enough to withstand disruption. The Asahi attack alone highlights the impact these incidents can have on supply chains, production, and revenue," Ward remarked.
He further pointed out that nearly one in five organizations faced disruptions lasting up to two weeks
He further pointed out that nearly one in five organizations faced disruptions lasting up to two weeks due to cyberattacks, with an average downtime of almost five days. Ward emphasized the necessity for organizations to integrate true cyber resilience into their operations not only to prevent but also to anticipate, endure, and quickly recover from potential threats.
Driving Continued Investment
Over half of the surveyed organizations, 52%, report their security systems' inability to cope with both existing and emerging advanced threats. While 62% have updated policies to address threats generated by artificial intelligence, seven in ten admit having limited oversight on the use of shadow AI by staff, risking exposure of sensitive data at 56% probability.
The ever-evolving global landscape remains a focal point for IT and security teams, prompting ongoing investment and defense strategy enhancements. Approximately 90% of companies have boosted their investment in cyber resilience over the past year, with 96% updating their strategies in response to external pressures.
