Why Cybersecurity Is a Leadership Issue, Not Just IT’s Problem

Cybersecurity is often seen as something for “the IT department” to worry about. But the truth is, cybersecurity is everyone’s problem, especially leadership’s.

When executives treat cybersecurity as an isolated technical function, it remains a box to check. But when leadership embraces it as part of business strategy, it becomes a culture of security. Policies are followed, employees stay vigilant, and risks are understood in terms of impact to the organization, not just technical jargon.

I’ve seen firsthand how leadership buy-in changes everything. When boards and managers prioritize cybersecurity, employees recognize its importance, budgets are justified, and IT is empowered to act proactively rather than reactively.

At its core, cybersecurity is about protecting trust: the trust customers place in your systems, the trust employees place in their tools, and the trust stakeholders place in your brand. Protecting that trust isn’t just an IT job, it’s a leadership responsibility.