Most cybersecurity failures don’t happen because organizations ignore security entirely. They happen because leaders believe they’re “covered” when critical gaps still exist.
Over the years, I’ve seen the same mistakes repeated across industries and organization sizes. The good news? Most are fixable without massive budgets or complex tools.
Mistake #1: Treating cybersecurity as an IT-only issue
Cybersecurity is often delegated entirely to IT, with little leadership involvement. But security decisions affect budgets, operations, vendors, and risk tolerance.
When leadership is disengaged, security becomes reactive instead of strategic.
Fix: Treat cybersecurity as a business risk, not a technical problem. Leadership involvement matters.
Mistake #2: Relying on tools instead of processes
Buying security tools without strong processes creates a false sense of safety. Tools don’t fix poor access management, weak policies, or untrained users.
Fix: Align tools with clear processes, ownership, and accountability.
Mistake #3: Weak access controls
Shared accounts, excessive privileges, and rarely reviewed access are common and dangerous.
Fix: Apply least privilege. Review access regularly. Remove what’s no longer needed.
Mistake #4: Ignoring patching and updates
Unpatched systems remain one of the most exploited attack paths. Delays are often justified as “operational risk,” but attackers don’t wait.
Fix: Prioritize critical patches and track remediation.
Mistake #5: Treating training as a checkbox
Annual training alone doesn’t change behavior. Attackers exploit human behavior daily.
Fix: Use short, regular awareness reminders tied to real threats.
The bigger lesson
Cybersecurity isn’t about perfection it’s about reducing likelihood and impact. Small improvements, consistently applied, dramatically lower risk.
About the Author – Dr. Kimma Wreh
https://medium.com/@drkimmawreh