Cyberattack Costs Soar to $2.5M as Recovery Times Worsen: Insights for Telecom’s Cyber Resilience

According to a recent report by Absolute Security, the average cost of recovering from a cyberattack has reached a staggering $2.5 million, with operational downtime now stretching up to two weeks for nearly 20% of organizations. As noted in the study, surveyed CISOs across the US and UK are shifting their focus from preventing breaches to bolstering resilience, highlighting a critical challenge for enterprises and the broader telecom sector.

Cybersecurity Fatigue: The Growing Challenge of Prolonged Downtime

While the concept of cyber resilience—defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as the ability to withstand, recover from, and adapt to adverse conditions—has been widely embraced, action hasn’t kept up. The report reveals that 57% of enterprises take three to six days to restore mobile and remote endpoints, and no surveyed CISO could achieve recovery within 24 hours of disruption. Simply put, recovery gaps are leaving organizations vulnerable both financially and operationally.

“There is simply no way to avoid the inevitable—at some point, every organization will face the reality of an attack,” said Christy Wyatt, President and CEO of Absolute Security. Wyatt emphasized that businesses unprepared for quick recovery face existential risks, with downtime costs exceeding $5 million for some firms.

Alarmingly, this slowdown in recovery performance comes against a backdrop of declining confidence in resilience strategies. Year-over-year, companies with formal cyber-resilience strategies fell from 90% to 68%, underscoring a concerning regression in preparedness efforts.

Implications for the Telecom Industry: A Looming Crisis?

The telecom sector, where uninterrupted connectivity is mission-critical, cannot afford prolonged disruptions. With global telecom market revenue slated to surpass $1.45 trillion by 2025, downtime caused by cyberattacks threatens to tarnish industry credibility. For telecom operators, remote endpoints and core infrastructure are becoming prime targets, given their pivotal role in ensuring seamless service delivery.

Significantly, telecom firms may find themselves among industries most vulnerable to endpoint failures. According to the research, 53% of CISOs fear disruptions caused by internal software failures on security controls, a growing trend exacerbated by telcos’ increasingly software-driven infrastructure. Moreover, expectations of “zero breaches” from boards and executives persist, creating friction between operational realities and leadership demands.

“Our mandate has shifted from pure defense to absolute resilience,” notes Harold Rivas, CISO at Absolute Security, urging organizations to prioritize recovery over prevention. This shift marks a transformation in how risk management is viewed within sectors susceptible to rapid digital disruption.

Expert Perspectives: What Lies Ahead for Cyber Resilience?

The next 12-18 months present a critical turning point as cybersecurity leaders grapple with navigating escalating risks. In Absolute Security’s report, CISOs identified three major drivers of future disruptions:

• Continued sophistication of cyberattacks, such as ransomware.
• Internal issues, including lapses in software control reliability.
• Insufficient recovery investments compared to rising attack vectors.

Ultimately, aligning executive expectations with operational realities is key to survival. For industries like telecom, where network downtime can erode subscriber trust and revenue streams, fostering a culture of rapid incident recovery will be more critical than ever.

“Success in the coming year will be defined less by threats avoided and more by how quickly services can be restored post-incident,” Wyatt concluded. These insights emphasize that resilience is not simply a technical goal—it’s a business imperative.

Looking Forward: Time to Rethink Cyber Resilience Strategies

As the average cost of cyberattacks continues to rise and recovery times worsen, organizations face a turning point in their approach to security. Shifting from pure threat prevention to adopting robust resilience measures is not only recommended but necessary to navigate today’s volatile landscape.

Is your organization prepared for the reality of prolonged downtime? Share your thoughts below and join the discussion about the evolving role of cyber resilience in telecommunications and beyond.

Original source: Telecoms Tech News