Organization leaders have many competing initiatives for their time and budgets as they run the business. Cybersecurity  is an executive-level issue for several reasons

  • It impacts day-to-day operations, long-term viability, revenue, and reputation
  • It is a cross-functional issue in that cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility
  • It should be treated as an investment in digital transformation, not a cost center
  • Your organization’s appropriate cyber risk posture and data governance strategy is crucial

Your organization’s leaders must evaluate and weigh many strategic initiatives, as well as determine which to fund or prioritize. It is important to emphasize that the purchase of a managed security solution is one that helps the organization save money and reduce cyber risk at the same time.

Carefully weigh the actual capabilities and timeline of security options like open-source tools cobbled together, which might seem less expensive but ultimately take valuable time away from running the business and generating revenue. Include any compliance mandates you must meet and insights regarding critical asset prioritization. Finally, remind your leaders that the security landscape is evolving with new threat vectors like the SolarWinds/Orion data breach in the news headlines. Today’s threat mitigation is all about the comprehensive visibility and analytics needed for rapid detection and response to stop cybercriminals.

Cybersecurity involves a balancing act. An organization that is too conservative with an aversion to risk might overlook business advancements and opportunities, while a company that ignores business and technology risk is sure to face the consequences.