Cybersecurity is Leadership, Not Another Tool
Why Companies Lose Billions to Cyberattacks – And What Really Helps
In Germany, companies lose hundreds of billions of euros every year to cyberattacks. The numbers continue to rise, the threat landscape intensifies. And yet: the response from most organizations has followed the same pattern for decades.
After more than 25 years of experience in the IT security industry, I keep hearing the same statements:
❌ "We already have a tool for that." ❌ "That's an IT issue." ❌ "How much does the tool cost? Send me a quick quote."
These statements reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of what cybersecurity really means. The market thinks in products: firewalls, endpoint protection, SIEM solutions, or "something with Microsoft Security." But this tool-oriented mindset leads to a dangerous blind flight.
The Real Problem: Missing Risk Management
What almost nobody considers: Cybersecurity is primarily about leadership, organization, and risk management. Not another console, not another dashboard with colorful graphics.
In my conversations with test customers, this became brutally clear. Everyone wanted to buy another tool, but hardly anyone asked the critical questions:
✅ Who actually bears responsibility for information security in our organization? ✅ Which specific risks have we identified and assessed? ✅ What structure do we follow to make security measurable?
These questions often remain unanswered. Instead, companies invest in the hope that the next product will bring the solution.
The Investor Perspective: Traction Over Transformation
Even investors have reflected back to me: "Strong technology, interesting idea, but too little traction. The security market is crowded."
This is where the misunderstanding lies. With Cybervize, I'm not building "the next security tool." I'm offering the structure that helps companies finally embrace cybersecurity as a management responsibility.
The security market isn't crowded. It's overflowing with products, but it suffers from a severe shortage of structured leadership and risk management. There are hundreds of solutions for technical problems, but hardly any offerings that support executive leadership and IT management in strategically steering security.
What Companies Really Need
Whether as a SaaS solution or as a vCISO service: it's about clear roles, measurable actions, and transparent decisions. Companies need:
1. Clear Responsibilities Who is responsible for which area of information security? Without defined roles and responsibilities, a vacuum emerges where nobody truly takes ownership.
2. A Real Risk Picture Which assets are critical? Where are the greatest threats? Which vulnerabilities exist? Only those who know their risks can consciously manage or accept them.
3. A Structured Approach Cybersecurity needs processes, not ad-hoc actions. A plan that aligns with established frameworks like ISO 27001, BSI IT-Grundschutz, or NIST and is tailored to the company's individual needs.
4. Measurable Actions Security must be measurable. Which measures have been implemented? Which risks have been reduced? Where is action still needed?
5. Conscious Steering at Management Level Executive leadership must understand cybersecurity as a strategic topic and actively steer it. It's not about knowing technical details, but about understanding risks and making decisions.
From Tool Mentality to Leadership Culture
We need less blind flying with new software and more conscious steering at the management level. The question isn't: "Which tool do we buy next?" The question must be: "How do we organize cybersecurity so it becomes an integral part of our corporate governance?"
This means a paradigm shift: away from purely technical considerations, toward a holistic risk management perspective. Cybersecurity must become a board-level priority, not because executive leadership needs technical expertise, but because they bear responsibility.
Rethinking the Role of the CISO
A Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or a virtual CISO (vCISO) is not a technician who operates tools. They are a strategist who:
- Identifies and assesses risks
- Develops security strategies
- Advises executive leadership
- Ensures compliance
- Establishes security culture within the organization
- Translates between business and technology
Especially in mid-sized companies, the resources for a full-time CISO position are often lacking. This is where vCISO services offer an economically sensible solution: experienced expertise on demand, strategic guidance without permanent employment, structured processes instead of chaotic activism.
Practical Example: When Tools Alone Don't Help
A mid-sized manufacturing company invested 150,000 euros in a modern SIEM solution. After six months, it became clear: nobody was regularly reviewing the alerts, nobody had defined which events were critical, and nobody knew how to respond in an emergency.
The problem wasn't the technology. The problem was:
- Missing processes
- Unclear responsibilities
- Lack of integration into the organizational structure
A tool is only as good as the framework in which it's deployed.
Action Recommendations for Executive Leadership and IT Management
If you're in executive leadership, IT management, or working as a CISO and struggling with exactly this issue, here are concrete first steps:
Step 1: Clarify Responsibility Clearly define who is responsible for information security. Not just IT, but at the management level.
Step 2: Capture Risks Conduct a structured risk analysis. Which processes, data, and systems are critical?
Step 3: Create Structures Establish an Information Security Management System (ISMS) or use established frameworks as guidance.
Step 4: Leverage External Expertise If internal resources are lacking, bring in a vCISO or consultant who can provide strategic guidance.
Step 5: Build Security Culture Raise employee awareness, create understanding, and make security part of the corporate culture.
Conclusion: Structure Beats Software
The solution to German companies' cybersecurity challenges doesn't lie in more tools. It lies in leadership, structure, and conscious risk management.
Cybervize is developed precisely for this need: to help companies understand and implement cybersecurity as a management responsibility. With clear structures, transparent processes, and measurable results.
Be honest: Which "miracle tool" recently failed to deliver on its promises in your organization?
If you're ready to move from a tool mentality to strategic leadership, let's talk. Because real cybersecurity doesn't begin with the next product purchase, but with the right leadership decision.