Define And Describe Disaster Recovery

Define And Describe Disaster Recovery

Disaster recovery (DR) refers to a set of policies, tools, and procedures that enable an organization to restore its critical technology systems and operations after a disruptive event, such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, or system failures. The primary goal of disaster recovery is to minimize downtime and data loss, ensuring business continuity and resilience. It involves planning for responses to various threats, maintaining backup copies of vital data, and establishing recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) to guide response efforts (Gjerde et al., 2020). Effective disaster recovery strategies include data backups, cloud storage solutions, and redundant hardware to ensure systems can be quickly restored or migrated to alternative environments, reducing impact on organizational functions.

Define And Describe Business Continuity

Business continuity (BC) encompasses the planning and preparation activities that enable an organization to maintain essential functions during and after a disaster or disruption. Unlike disaster recovery, which focuses specifically on restoring IT systems, business continuity involves a comprehensive approach addressing operations, personnel, communication, and infrastructure. It includes developing contingency plans, training employees, and conducting drills to ensure the organization remains operational despite adverse events (Herbane et al., 2019). Effective BC planning ensures that critical processes can continue with minimal interruption, thereby safeguarding reputation, customer trust, and legal compliance.

Threats Posed by Disgruntled Employees and Mitigation Strategies

Disgruntled employees pose significant security threats to organizations through malicious activities such as data theft, sabotage, or leaking confidential information. These internal threats are often driven by dissatisfaction, layoffs, or perceived injustices within the organization (Soomro et al., 2021). To mitigate such risks, organizations should implement stringent access controls, monitor internal activities, and foster positive workplace culture to reduce dissatisfaction. Regular employee training on security policies and encouraging anonymous reporting of suspicious behavior can also help detect threats early. Conducting thorough background checks and applying the principle of least privilege—allocating only the necessary access—are essential preventive measures.

Real-World Example of Risk from Disgruntled Employee

One notable example of an organization at risk due to a disgruntled employee is the case of Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA). In 2013, Snowden disclosed classified documents, revealing extensive surveillance programs that exposed vulnerabilities within the NSA's security protocols. Snowden's discontent and breach of trust illustrate how internal threats, especially from employees and contractors with privileged access, can lead to significant national security and reputational damage (Greenwald, 2014). This incident underscores the importance of implementing robust insider threat detection, access restrictions, and monitoring systems to prevent similar risks.

References

Gjerde, O., McConnell, A., & Soldani, J. (2020). Disaster recovery planning: Principles and practices. Journal of Business Continuity & Emergency Planning, 14(3), 224-235.

Herbane, B., Manfield, D., & Walker, B. (2019). Business continuity planning: A comprehensive review. International Journal of Business and Management, 14(10), 16-29.

Soomro, A. M., Arif, R., & Baig, S. (2021). Insider threats in cybersecurity: Risk management and mitigation strategies. Cybersecurity Journal, 7(1), 40-55.

Greenwald, G. (2014). No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the Surveillance State. Metropolitan Books.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (2020). American Psychological Association.