Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the principles of recovery in a cyber context.

  • Develop recovery strategies for critical services.

  • Apply restoration procedures to cyber incidents.

  • Recognise the importance of data integrity and verification.

6.1 The Importance of Recovery Capability

The ability to resume operations quickly and safely after a successful cyber attack is paramount . Recovery is not just about restoring systems; it is about restoring trust. The Kincaid course on disaster recovery emphasises that central banks must be able to protect, recover, and sustain access to critical records during and after disruptive events .

6.2 Recovery Strategies

Prioritisation: The Kincaid course covers “prioritisation frameworks and documentation” to ensure that recovery efforts focus on the most critical services and records first .

Redundancy: The course covers “backup strategies and redundancy” including “offsite, cloud, and secure replication concepts” . This ensures that data can be restored even if primary systems are compromised.

Coordination: The course covers “coordinating with ICT and continuity teams” to ensure that recovery efforts are aligned across functions.

6.3 Restoration Procedures

Activating Recovery Plans: The Kincaid course covers “activating records recovery plans” to ensure a timely and coordinated response .

Validating Integrity: The course covers “validating integrity after recovery” to ensure that restored data is accurate and complete.

Documenting Recovery Actions: The course covers “documenting recovery actions” to support audit and post-incident accountability .

6.4 Recovery in a CBDC Context

The BIS Project Polaris framework notes that a future CBDC system would be considered a critical national infrastructure, as RTGS systems are today . A breach of a CBDC system due to cyber attacks or technical failures could erode confidence and trust in the infrastructure, a central bank, and potentially the financial system . Therefore, recovery strategies for CBDC systems must be robust and well-tested.

Key Considerations:

  • Erosion of Confidence: A breach could erode confidence and trust in the infrastructure, a central bank, and potentially the financial system .

  • Critical Infrastructure: CBDC systems are critical national infrastructure.

  • Complexity: CBDC systems are complex, with a large attack surface and many potential points of failure .

PreviousNext