The Blueprint for Cyber Resilience
Learn how to achieve the new benchmark for operational strength and business continuity.
Evolving from defense to durability
Cyber incidents are quickly becoming assumed inevitabilities. The question is no longer “Are we secure?” It’s “Can we keep going when we’re hit?”
Evolved security strategies move beyond a singular focus on protection to a broader framework rooted in cyber resilience — blending traditional cybersecurity, business continuity, recovery readiness and operational agility.
With a strong cyber resilience strategy, your organization will be better equipped to absorb shocks and recover quickly when cyber incidents occur.
Understand your “Why?”
Traditional cybersecurity strategies were built around prevention. But with the rise of hybrid and remote work, cloud-first environments and increasingly complex digital ecosystems, the perimeter-based approach is no longer enough.
Cyber resilience reframes the goal: operating in spite of cyber incidents. To manage this successfully, organizations need a cyber resilience strategy that views security as a continuum of protection, adaption and recovery rather than a line of defense.
of CISOs say remote work has led to increased security vulnerabilities1
of organizations report malicious content downloads from popular cloud apps every month2
of ITDMs cite security as their #1 concern when deciding between on-premises or public cloud3
Zero in on what matters most
Bulletproof protection may not be feasible or necessary for every system. But some can’t afford to fail. That’s the idea behind minimum viable resilience (MVR): Identify the critical few systems, services and processes that must remain functional — or recover fastest — when disruption strikes.
MVR aligns resources and provides a north star for your cyber resilience strategy, ensuring it’s built on business impact, not blanket defense.
The average total cost of a data breach is $4.88 million4
The average cost savings after a data breach achieved by organizations using AI prevention in their workflows is $2.2 million4
Make resilience a team sport
Cyber resilience is a responsibility shared across the entire business. It requires alignment of people, processes and platforms to ensure the organization can respond effectively when disruption hits.
Teams must be trained to respond under pressure. Response and recovery procedures must be agile and well documented. And infrastructure must be designed with continuity, testing and adaptation top of mind.
Only 2% of organizations have fully implemented cyber resilience measures5
35% of executives have developed a cyber recovery playbook for IT loss scenarios5
45% say their cyber resilience strategy is up to date in preparation for modern attacks in response to the rise of AI6
36% of IT leaders say their cyber resilience strategy is included within their organization’s overall resilience strategy6
Rehearse roles and responsibilities often
The best cyber resilience strategies merge strategic foresight, technical readiness and preparation. CDW Cyber Resilience Solutions can help. Whether you’re starting from scratch or leveling up, our cyber resilience framework delivers support across the continuum and builds muscle memory before a crisis ever hits — ensuring everyone on your team responds with confidence and precision.
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Resilient infrastructure
2
Expert assessments and analysis
3
Resilient process planning and design
4
Cyber resilience testing
5
Incident response program design and testing
6
Attack simulation testing
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Resilient workforce training and skills development
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Managed resilient infrastructure solutions
Sources:
1 Gitnux, 2025 report
2 Netspoke, Cloud and Threat Report, 2025
3 CDW, 2024 Cloud Report
4 IBM, Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2024
5 PwC, 2025 Global Digital Trust Insights survey
6 Zscaler, Unlock the Resilience Factor survey, 2025