(Editor’s note: This is the 38th installment of a monthly column on the growing number of cyberthreats facing businesses of all sizes and what they can do about them. See previous installments here.)
For decades, we have framed cybersecurity as a cost center, a necessary evil or simply "that thing the IT department takes care of." The CEO’s role in cybersecurity was often limited to simply approving a budget and hoping for the best.
That era is over.
Cybersecurity is not just a defense. It has transitioned from a back-office information technology issue into a business imperative and primary driver of market access, partner trust and C-suite liability. The modern CEO cannot treat cyber risk like a quarterly audit item. The risk must be positioned as a board-level obligation that helps define a company’s trust, growth and brand.
But a concerning disconnect still exists. In a 2024 survey, CEOs globally ranked increased cyberattacks as the No. 2 geopolitical risk, but only 9% said that cybersecurity was a critical investment for long-term growth. This strategic gap must be closed. The latest data from IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report stresses the scale of the risk. While the global average breach cost has seen a modest dip, it remains high at $4.44 million. But for the U.S., this is not the case. Driven by increased regulatory penalties and higher costs, the average cost of a U.S. data breach surged by 9% to an all-time high of $10.22 million.
If the financial penalties alone don't compel action, consider the damage to the most valuable non-monetary asset to a business: trust of the clients. If a security posture is viewed as brittle or behind the times, those vital contracts will head to the competitor that invested in resilience. Contrary to popular belief, “cyber maturity” is now a competitive differentiator and a prerequisite to doing business.
CEOs must lead the charge on cyber resilience. The risk of a breach is no longer just about financial risk and downtime. Now it’s also about organizational credibility, personal accountability and personal liability.
Beyond the balance sheet, the personal pressure on executive teams is intensifying. We are witnessing a clear, concerted effort by regulators and the courts to hold corporate leadership personally accountable for systemic privacy and security failures. The days of deflecting accountability to IT or the security officer are fading. The increasing rate of lawsuits after a data breach, combined with government enforcement, has been setting a strong precedent. Cases show that executives can be held liable for failing to implement sufficient internal controls or mishandling cyberattacks.
The mindset must shift from viewing security as a drag on efficiency to recognizing it as an enabler of speed, agility and trust-based growth. Resilient organizations – ones that excel in cyber maturity – are able to operate and pivot faster in volatile markets.
The path to resilience starts with a cultural commitment led by the highest office. Looking ahead, the CEO’s role rises above just investment. It becomes one of cyber cultural architecture. The pace of innovation, coupled with global cyber risk, has fundamentally altered the definition of executive proficiency. In the same way that CEOs of the last generation had to master globalization and supply chain logistics, the CEO of today and tomorrow must master digital transformation and cyber resilience.
Failure is no longer an expensive IT problem. It’s an erosion of revenue, profits, customer trust and personal brand. Success, on the other hand, is a powerful accelerant. By proactively embedding cybersecurity into the DNA of the strategic planning, resource allocation, and market engagement of a business, the CEO transforms a perceived cost into a growth driver. Cyber resilience is the new fiduciary duty. It is the defining metric of a high-value, high-trust organization, and the ultimate competitive advantage. The time for the CEO to step into the arena with extreme ownership is now.
Next month: Why the biggest cyber risk isn't just the hackers.
Jason Albuquerque is the chief operating officer of Pawtucket-based Envision Technology Advisors LLC. You can reach him at www.envisionsuccess.net.
