The End of the Honour System
The SolarWinds debacle was a wake up call. The SEC didn't just fine the company for getting hacked, it went after them for having flimsy security and, crucially, for not being honest about it. This sets a powerful precedent. It’s no longer enough to just cross your fingers and hope you don’t get hit by cybercriminals. Now, companies can be held legally and financially accountable for simply not trying hard enough.
Suddenly, cybersecurity spending has shifted from the ‘nice to have’ column to the ‘must have’ column. It’s become a non negotiable cost of doing business, much like paying the electricity bill or the rent. When something becomes mandatory, it becomes a much more predictable and resilient source of revenue. Companies will cut marketing budgets, travel, and fancy office perks long before they cut the one thing that stops them from facing the wrath of regulators.