Cybersecurity: What’s The Cost Of Not Investing In It?

Many business owners commonly fall into the trap of a false sense of security, believing that “this will never happen to us.” This perception, however, can be dangerous, since if a company is not prepared ahead of time, a potential cyberattack can end up costing a lot more than you think.

The frequency of these attacks increases continuously, and the consequences for those unprepared are often quite serious. Ignoring digital protection not only compromises data and processes, but also jeopardizes the company’s reputation that has been developed over many years of work.

As such, contrary to what some people think, investing in cybersecurity is far from an exaggeration or financial problem—it’s a smart way to avoid headaches in the future.

Would you like to better understand how to make this investment? Read on!

What are the potential consequences of an attack?

As detailed in an IBM report, in 2024, there was a 9% increase related to the average cost of data breaches in the United States. The health sector was the most affected, with an average total of over R$10 million.

The study also showed that the main vector of the attacks is phishing, which accounts for 16% of cases, with an average cost of more than R$7 million. This is followed by compromised passwords and cloud configuration errors, both with 15%.

The figures range from lost revenue to recovery expenses, regulatory fines, and lawsuits. And that’s without considering the more difficult effects to measure, including damage to the company’s reputation and customer trust, or the leakage of strategic information.

Oftentimes, companies that believe that “only large corporations are targeted” are caught off guard. Small and medium-sized businesses are actually among the primary focuses of digital threats, precisely because they have fewer technical barriers.
 

How to protect your company strategically

With this in mind, addressing digital security solutions involves more than just buying and implementing technological products. One of the most effective ways to protect information is to focus more on having teams properly prepared. But how?

• Investing in educational campaigns and regular training enhances the company’s defensive position.
• Conducting phishing simulations is an effective way to increase employees’ attention to real threats.

Training the staff allows for a shift in perspective regarding the role and potential of human resources within the company to becoming part of a defensive strategy.

Why training isn’t an expense, but vital protection

Viewing investments in developing skills as an “expense” is a common mistake. These programs, in fact, usually represent a small portion of the resources compared to what could be lost in an actual attack. 

In addition, trained teams are quick to act and confident in their decisions during critical situations, which helps to reduce impacts and speeds up recovery.

Historically, human behavior has always been touted as the weakest link in information security, but that perspective is changing. Today, well-educated and knowledgeable professionals are able to identify signs of incidents a lot faster than automated systems. 

Continuous preparation provides precisely this advantage: having people who are more attentive and capable of responding correctly to digital risks.

Making cybersecurity a lower priority is a decision that sooner or later takes its toll. When considering the cost of an invasion in all these different aspects—financial, reputational, and operational—it becomes clear that taking preventive actions is always more cost-effective than dealing with the consequences afterwards.

Training and awareness measures are no longer merely optional as they represent an effective way to shield the company against increasingly sophisticated threats. Companies are not only able to reduce risk by investing in people, but also build a stronger foundation for secure growth.