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Why Most Cyber Incidents Become Business Crises (Hint: It’s Not the Hack)

Written by Eve Cooper | Dec 21, 2025 5:00:00 AM
Most cyber incidents don’t become crises because of the technical failure.
 
They become crises because of confusion.
 
Confusion over:
 
  • Who is in charge
  • Who makes decisions
  • Who speaks to insurers, regulators, or clients
  • Who carries accountability

The Incident Nobody Prepares For

 

Many organisations have incident response plans.
 
Very few have:
  • Clear decision authority
  • Pre-agreed risk ownership
  • Board-level escalation clarity
As a result, incidents spiral:
  • Delays in response
  • Conflicting priorities
  • Poor communication
  • Personal blame replacing structured accountability

 

The Hidden Cost of Ambiguity

 

After an incident, the hardest questions are rarely technical:
 
  • Why wasn’t this risk addressed earlier?
  • Who signed off this exposure?
  • Why didn’t the board know?
If those questions can’t be answered, trust erodes fast, internally and externally.
 
 

Prevention Isn’t Just Technology

 

True incident readiness isn’t about perfection.
 
It’s about:
  • Knowing who owns cyber risk
  • Ensuring they have authority
  • Making decisions visible and defensible
That’s what turns incidents into manageable events - not existential threats.