In the aftermath of a cyberattack, the response often matters more than the cause. Leadership is tested, processes are scrutinised, and the speed and integrity of recovery as part of overall data resilience becomes a business-critical differentiator. Having said that, too many organisations continue to treat data recovery as a cost-centre, employed reactively, rather than focusing on the proactive advantage.
This mindset has to shift. India’s digital economy calls for organisations to prioritise data resilience and thereby, business resilience, to be able to navigate any disruption with control, speed, and confidence. That ensures better outcomes than attempting to avoid each incident, waiting for the inevitable.
Collective responsibility for resilience
Based on the Veeam 2025 Ransomware Trends and Proactive Strategies Report, 24% of organisations globally fired or reassigned their security leaders post an incident. The data found a direct correlation between ransomware attacks and blame or punishment. In organisations that fell victim to a successful attack, only 29% resisted the urge to blame any individual. In contrast, those that fended off attacks did so 73% of the time. The latter are the organisations that are most likely to view cyber resilience as a collective responsibility. It holds true for Indian organisations where traditional hierarchies and top-down responses still dominate rather than a culture of shared ownership across IT, security, and other teams.
As a result, CISOs and IT leaders are increasingly being judged on how they lead during disruptions. Knowing the chain of command, understanding inventory, and running regular simulations are all signs of a mature response strategy. The most resilient teams are the ones that train in unexpected and high-stress environments, rather than sticking to online training modules, to gain clarity and confidence. When organisations prepare for disruption, they recover faster and retain stakeholder trust.
Consistency is key
One of the most common weaknesses in recovery strategies is inconsistency. Different teams, regions or systems often follow different protocols, creating confusion across the organisation.
Standardising processes across departments and platforms helps reduce this risk. Modest improvements including aligning backup procedures across cloud and on-prem environments or regular recovery testing contribute to resilience. This is relevant in large or decentralised organisations, where fragmentation tends to compromise recovery efforts. Take for example Indian conglomerates and public sector undertakings who operate across multiple stakes. The lack of a unified protocol means that even a regional data incident holds the ability to paralyse national-level services. Centralised recovery policies are essential to bridge these gaps.
External input including feedback from peers, consultants or ransomware response specialists such as Coveware by Veeam helps expose blind spots before a business becomes subject to an attack.
Continuous improvement for success
83% of Indian organisations faced at least one ransomware attack in the past year, and only 23% felt “very confident” in their recovery capabilities. Many leaders later admitted that they had underinvested in continuous employee training and 24/7 threat detection. These are clear signs that preparedness requires careful consideration beyond people, processes, and technology, to consider mindset. A dismissive, complacent mindset often undermines robust training practices, cause systems to remain unused or unmaintained, and derail organisational culture.
Resilience demands continuous improvement. The threat landscape doesn’t wait, so don’t stand still.
Cost optimisation and compliance with AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already proving its value in security. But its potential goes far beyond alerts. AI aids organisations in recovery by helping them understand their data at scale, from what exists and where it lives to whether or not it’s properly classified. In the chaos of a ransomware attack, for instance, intelligence on what is most important and safely recoverable, or what needs urgent attention, makes a considerable difference.
AI also helps uncover inefficiencies and non-compliance risks that traditional tools often miss. As organisations grow more reliant on data and government regulations tighten, such clarity becomes critical.
Recovery for competitive advantage
Despite widespread investment in backup solutions, fewer than half of businesses have been testing recovery functionality regularly.
Confidence in recovery has to be treated with the same urgency and priority as security or compliance. It’s not just about getting systems back online, it’s about protecting customer trust, business continuity, and brand reputation.
The difference between disruption and disaster often comes down to how well an organisation recovers.
Resilience is no longer good hygiene for a business. It is a competitive edge.
(This article is co-authored by Sandeep Bhambure, Vice President and Managing Director, Veeam India & SAARC)
Rick Vanover
Rick Vanover is Vice President, Product Strategy at Veeam.
