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By John Mc Loughlin, CEO of J2 Software
The financial strain on businesses is growing at an alarming rate, largely as a result of escalating cybercrimes. The financial implications of cyberattacks are becoming impossible to ignore.
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The increasing frequency and sophistication of these threats demand a more strategic approach to cybersecurity investment, yet many organisations continue to underestimate the financial consequences of a breach.
The financial toll of cybercrime can be divided into direct and indirect impacts. Direct costs include the immediate loss of revenue due to downtime. A business can grind to a halt in the aftermath of an attack, often requiring weeks to restore operations.
The high costs
The cost of recovery, including professional support to restore systems, investigate the breach, and work with regulators, is another major direct hit to the bottom line.
The indirect costs, however, can be just as devastating, if not more so. Many people do not understand how severe the indirect effects of a successful cyber compromise will have on the business.
The most immediate indirect impact is the erosion of trust among customers, partners, and the public. A loss of trust often leads to a significant loss of business, as customers may turn away permanently.
Further indirect costs arise from regulatory reporting requirements and the protective measures necessary to safeguard individuals affected by the breach. These additional expenses can accumulate rapidly.
The true cost of a cyberattack extends far beyond ransom payments, regulatory fines, and recovery costs; it reaches into the personal lives of employees, affecting mental health and well-being. A cyber-attack is extremely stressful to the business and those responsible for recovery, which can lead to burnout and prolonged stress-related absences from work.
The cybersecurity investment gap
Despite the mounting risk, many organisations continue to under-invest in cybersecurity. I see a disproportionate under-investment in relation to the risk of cybercrime. This mismatch between risk and investment is a critical issue for CFOs.
While some boards may approve increased spending on cybersecurity, this spending is often ineffective, with a focus on isolated solutions rather than a comprehensive strategy.
The problem is that many business leaders still view cybersecurity as a technology issue. Cybersecurity has nothing to do with technology, it is about managing digital risk through a structured, resilience-based approach.
Technology is only an enabler; true resilience comes from understanding the broader risks and implementing a strategic framework that covers all aspects of digital risk.
Minimising financial damage
Prevention, as the saying goes, is better than cure. For businesses, this means building a robust cyber resilience framework. There is no way we will stop attackers trying to attack, but an effective framework can help businesses detect and respond to threats before they cause significant damage.
Security comes from visibility – resilience provides visibility, visibility gives us the capability to respond.
By ensuring total visibility across all parts of a cyber resilience framework, organisations can detect potential attacks early, limiting the financial damage. The sooner a threat is identified, the easier it is to contain, reducing the potential for widespread disruption.
Aligning cybersecurity with financial strategy
One of the key challenges for CFOs is aligning cybersecurity investments with their overall financial strategy. The focus needs to shift from the cost of individual cybersecurity tools to the value of preventing cyber incidents in the first place.
Let’s rather focus on what your business does to make money. By understanding how cyberattacks can disrupt revenue streams and harm customer relationships, business leaders can better justify the necessary investment in cybersecurity.
The financial impact of a cyberattack is not limited to the cost of recovery. Most businesses will face at least two weeks of downtime, followed by months of ongoing disruption. During this time, businesses lose not only revenue but also market share, as competitors swoop in to capture dissatisfied customers.
In many cases, 30% of customers will no longer want to do business with a company that has been breached. By calculating these potential losses, businesses can gain a clearer picture of the true cost of cyber risk.
Incident response planning
A comprehensive incident response plan is essential for reducing the financial impact of cybercrime. Being prepared is crucial. Regularly reviewing and testing incident response plans can help organisations respond more effectively when an attack occurs, reducing both the direct and indirect costs of a breach.
Building cyber resilience into the business also includes regular awareness training and cybersecurity drills. These exercises help employees understand their role in protecting the business, creating a culture of vigilance that strengthens the organisation’s overall defences.
The rising cost of cybercrime is placing significant financial pressure on CFOs. While many organisations still under-invest in cybersecurity, the true cost of a breach – from lost revenue and reputational damage to regulatory fines and personal stress – far outweighs the expense of building a robust, resilience-based cybersecurity framework.
By shifting focus from technology solutions to strategic risk management, businesses can reduce their exposure to cyber threats and protect their bottom line.
John Mc Loughlin, CEO of J2 Software
