Are we always pursuing real protective measures? Real cybersecurity or the pursuit of the optical illusion? It is Q2 of 2022, somehow there are corporate leaders (executives, board members, etc) that still don’t take cybersecurity seriously. As a result they are not interested in security (i.e. a mature program, actual protective mechanisms, etc) but are instead satisfied with the illusion of it. They want to invest the least possible in this area and yet have the best results.
I find this a fascinating, and disturbing, dynamic. In fact, I don’t understand how this is even possible given the reality of todays corporate environments. A number of SEC proposed rules have made it abundantly clear that this needs to change. Moreover, the mainstream media coverage of cybersecurity related issues is very real. This alone should have cybersecurity as an “in your face”, “top of mind” area of concern. It is an area directly linked to the survival of most modern-day businesses. And yet, some corporate leaders still see it as overhead, not worth great investment because it is difficult to link it to revenue generation.
In thinking about this I can’t help but to link this to some of the horrible strategies I have run across over time. Subsequently, there is a message to corporate leaders here, the formula is simple. You get what you pay for. It is delusional to expect stellar results on a shoestring budget. Furthermore, we are here to protect the company, its people, its assets, we are not the enemy. Often we are perceived as such because these folks are just protecting the dollars and cents. Security hurts. And it costs money.
Humorously thinking about this situation, look at this image and ponder the actual reality it portrays:
The other humorous point to me is based on the introduction image at the top of this blog. The person trying to hold back the wolf clearly represents the corporate leaders I am writing about. Together with this the wolf represents those attackers we are sure to face at some point in our cybersecurity leadership journey. The formula is simple and the outcome is obvious.