Formalisation and documentation are essential in ensuring business preparedness for best possible business continuity through adverse circumstances, such as in the case of a security breach.
"You cannot discuss business continuity without discussing 9-11 - the most infamous security breach of all," explains Bryn Philips, group IT manager at Peermont Global.
Catherine de Klerk, technical consultant at Compuware, explains recent surveys show that losses of as much as $440 million globally result from security breaches.
"Security breaches are growing exponentially in SA," she says.
Philips explains it is good business practice to create and adhere to a business continuity plan (BCP), which also reduces revenue losses and insurance costs.
"According to King II, it is the responsibility of the board - it is not a function of IT," says Philips. He also stresses that the BCP should be a continuous process.
Philips notes that although there is no current official South African standard, many elements can be borrowed from the Publicly Available Specification, which is issued by the British Standards Institute.
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