Surviving Isn't Thriving: Why Cybersecurity Shouldn't Be the First Cost-Cutting Target
Hello folks,
I recently found myself in one of those thought-provoking discussions with a group of C-level leaders about where companies usually target first to trim the fat. Unsurprisingly, IT and cybersecurity were the first on the chopping block.
Why? Because IT costs are visible, structured, and easy to quantify. You see the line items: software renewals, hardware upgrades, licenses, and vendor support. Compare that to headcount costs, where the conversation gets murky—how do you measure if someone’s doing high-value vs. low-value work, or if salaries are aligned with industry standards?
So, when a C-level leader asked me, "Why do we need to invest in cybersecurity when we've survived just fine with the current setup? If nothing's broken, why fix it?"—I knew this wasn’t just a one-off question. It’s the default mindset for many decision-makers.
The Leadership Mindset: "We're Fine. Why Change?"
From a purely business perspective, the logic seems sound:
If the company stayed secure last year, why not postpone upgrades another year?
If there’s no concrete evidence of an imminent attack, why spend now?
If budgets are tight, why prioritize cybersecurity over other operational needs?
To many leaders, cybersecurity feels like insurance—necessary, but begrudgingly funded. And if the house hasn’t burned down yet, why increase the premium?
But here’s the flaw in that thinking: Cybersecurity isn’t about certainty. It’s about probability.
The Risk Reality: Cybersecurity = Managing Probability
Unlike operational risks with clear cause-and-effect, cybersecurity operates in the realm of probabilities.
Just because you haven't been breached doesn’t mean you're secure.
Just because your current stack worked last year doesn’t mean it’s equipped for next year’s threats.
And just because no evidence screams "attack incoming" doesn’t mean adversaries aren't circling.
Think of it like driving without a seatbelt. You might be fine for months, but when an incident happens, the impact is catastrophic.
Postponing investments increases cumulative risk exposure over time. The longer you delay, the wider the attack surface grows. And when something does break, the cost of recovery will dwarf the savings.
Why CISOs Must Lead the Conversation Differently
Here’s where CISOs need to flip the narrative. You can’t win budget battles with fear, uncertainty, and doubt. You win by aligning cybersecurity to business resilience and risk management.
Frame it as Business Risk, Not IT Cost: Talk about probability reduction, not tech upgrades.
“This investment reduces the likelihood of business disruption, financial loss, and regulatory penalties.”
Highlight the Cost of Delay: Delaying upgrades doesn’t pause risk—it compounds it.
“We can defer this, but the longer we wait, the more we gamble with operational continuity and trust.”
Speak Their Language: Skip the jargon. Talk in business outcomes—reputation protection, customer trust, and regulatory alignment.
“Would we accept this level of risk in any other critical business function?”
Show Value Beyond Defense: Position cybersecurity as an enabler, not overhead.
“Investing now strengthens resilience, allowing us to innovate safely and maintain customer trust.”
Surviving Isn’t Thriving
Survival isn’t success. It’s luck. And luck runs out.
Cybersecurity is not just an IT problem—it’s a business risk management discipline. Cutting corners here is like canceling health insurance because you haven’t been sick lately.
The job of a CISO isn’t just protecting systems—it’s helping leaders make risk-informed decisions. And that includes pushing back when cost-cutting puts resilience on the line.
So, the next time someone says, “We’re fine. Why upgrade?”, remind them: Cybersecurity isn’t about certainty—it's about reducing the probability of disaster.
That’s all for this week!
Cheers,
Sivanathan