A strong plan begins with identifying what information is critical and where is that info created, transmitted, and stored.
Quick recap: As Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through the Southeastern U.S., businesses are being reminded of the importance of preparedness and IT team alignment. The storms, which have caused widespread damage across several states, are also causing economic disruption for small and large businesses alike.
- Moody's Analytics projects that Hurricane Helene could carry an economic cost in the tens of billions of dollars.
- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency last month urged users to stay alert for potential malicious cyber activity, as fraudulent emails and social media messages often spike after major natural disasters.
Industry insight: "Businesses should always expect the unexpected and should constantly be preparing for such events,” according to Debi Carr, CEO of DK Carr and Associates, a healthcare-focused security consulting firm in Orlando, FL. Without a strong, tested disaster recovery plan, businesses risk losing critical data and facing prolonged downtime.
Your action plan: Carr stresses that businesses need to focus on three areas:
- Identify and protect critical data at its source: "A strong plan begins with identifying what information is critical and where is that info created, transmitted, and stored," Carr said. Ensuring data backups exist and are regularly tested is essential. "Multiple types of backups are a critical aspect of any business continuity plan."
- Modernize disaster recovery with cloud solutions: "Years ago, I would recommend a desktop or laptop to restore data, but in our current age, I suggest creating a VM on AWS or Azure and restoring temporarily to the VM until normal operations can resume," she said.
- Proactive physical preparedness for all stakeholders: For many small businesses, physical servers are still key. Carr says, "Where is that server? Is it at least 4 inches off the floor so that if a pipe ruptures or there is low flooding, would it escape damage?"
The Bottom Line: Whether it’s a hurricane or a cyberattack, being prepared as a team is non-negotiable. Businesses must safeguard critical data, embrace modern backup solutions, and take proactive physical measures. Disaster can strike at any time—preparedness is your best defense.
