Cybersecurity Isn’t an IT Problem Anymore - It’s a Board Accountability Issue
For years, cybersecurity sat comfortably in the IT function. Firewalls, antivirus, patching - all technical, all operational.
That era is over.
Today, cyber risk is being treated the same way as financial, legal, and operational risk. Regulators, insurers, clients, and investors are no longer asking what tools you have. They are asking who is accountable.
And in many UK organisations, the honest answer is: it’s not clear.
The Accountability Gap
In most SMBs, cyber risk technically sits with the board. In practice, it’s often pushed down to IT managers who:
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Don’t control budgets
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Don’t set business priorities
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Aren’t empowered to accept or reject risk
This creates a dangerous gap between responsibility and authority.
When something goes wrong, that gap becomes painfully visible.
Why This Matters Now
UK cyber insurance claims are increasingly challenged. ICO enforcement is more assertive.
Clients are demanding assurance, not reassurance.
None of these pressures can be solved with another tool.
They require:
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Clear ownership
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Board-level visibility
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Defensible decision-making
The Shift Boards Must Make
The question is no longer: “Are we secure?”
It is: “Who owns cyber risk, and can they defend our position?”
Until that question has a clear answer, cybersecurity will remain a hidden business risk - not a managed one.
