Page 113 - Cyber Defense eMagazine RSAC Special Edition 2025

Building a Resilient Cyber Ecosystem

Cyber risk impacts operational safety and business continuity. Why the basic building blocks
are still mission-critical.

By Blake Benson, Senior Director, Cybersecurity Practice Lead for ABS Consulting

The threats that digital-forward organizations are facing might have evolved from a technical perspective,
but protection and risk mitigation activities do not need to shift priorities, says Blake Benson, senior
director and cybersecurity practice lead for ABS Consulting Inc., an affiliate of the American Bureau of
Shipping (ABS). According to Benson, CISOs at organizations who are responsible for critical assets
should still focus on "right of boom" recovery and response, blocking and tackling on the programmatic
basics before making capital investments in detection technologies.

As organizations build resilience by mitigating operational supply chain risks, adopting a holistic risk
management approach and fostering a culture of cyber resilience, communication is a crucial key in
managing evolving cyber risk. Strengthening public and private collaborations is important as
organizations strive to align on cybersecurity regulations, standards and technical solutions to drive
consistent and effective practices. Organizations must work to ensure that cyber risk management is a
board-level priority, Benson underscores, with executives taking an active role in advancing resilience
initiatives.

Cyber Defense Magazine sat down to review Benson’s top considerations for building cyber resilience.

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