Who bears the responsibility for cybersecurity?

Whose responsibility is cybersecurity in your business? Here’s a hint: it's not IT (even if it's outsourced).

Now, I can hear you crying out: "But IT are the only ones who understand this stuff. Why shouldn't it be their responsibility?"

Great question. IT certainly have a responsibility to perform their roles with due care to ensure that they are not unnecessarily creating risk. However, the structures, priorities, systems and leadership positions that are in place within an organisation, as well as the determination of overall risk appetite, are a direct result of the due diligence that is ultimately the responsibility of the executive leadership team and board.

Mitigating cybersecurity risks can be costly, especially if it is highly reactive or grossly misaligned with organisational priorities. In the era we're in, with constant privacy breaches and increasing legislation and regulation, all organisations, no matter their size, need strong, experienced technology leaders at the executive level, who don't just know what technology needs to do to enable an organisation to grow, but also profoundly understand risk, business priorities and resource limitations, and can help work within, and where necessary expand out, those boundaries.

Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue — it's a boardroom issue. Just like financial or legal risks, it demands top-level oversight. Failing to integrate cybersecurity into your overall business strategy risks more than data; it risks your organisation's very future.

Need assistance with your cybersecurity posture? Reach out for a chat! We’d love to help.