In most companies, cybersecurity is still seen as the sole responsibility of the technical or IT team. However, this narrow view has proven to be inadequate in today’s threat landscape. Most cyber incidents don’t result from sophisticated technical vulnerabilities — they’re caused by human error in other departments: a misdirected email, a weak password, a click on a phishing link.
The result? Costly breaches, loss of trust, and a damaged business reputation.

According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2024, 68% of security breaches involved non-malicious human actions — such as administrative mistakes, failure to verify information, or incorrect responses to phishing attempts. This figure remained at 60% in 2025, showing that the human element continues to be the weakest link in the chain.

Despite investments in firewalls, antivirus, and SIEM solutions, if people aren’t prepared, the organization remains vulnerable.

The high cost of not building a security culture

IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 revealed that the average global cost of a breach was USD $4.88 million, and in the U.S. it climbed to USD $10.22 million — mainly due to containment expenses, operational downtime, regulatory fines, and reputational damage.

Even more alarming: breaches that take more than 200 days to detect and contain cost 23% more than those handled swiftly — and unprepared non-technical teams are often behind those delays.

What does it really mean to have a cybersecurity culture?

A cybersecurity culture goes far beyond checking off policy boxes or deploying security technology. It’s about embedding security awareness at every level of the organization, from the CEO to customer support. It means adopting a proactive mindset where every individual understands their role in protecting information and digital assets.

It’s not enough for IT experts to be trained; departments like Finance, HR, Operations, Marketing, and Sales must also be informed and aligned.

This culture is built on five key pillars:

1. Continuous education – Cyber threats evolve, so training must be ongoing. A once-a-year session is not enough.

2. Cross-organizational communication – Share relevant updates, lessons learned, and key security metrics with all teams.

3. Visible leadership – Leaders must lead by example, take ownership, and actively engage in security initiatives.

4. Simulation and practice – Phishing simulations, incident response drills, and awareness exercises reinforce knowledge.

5. Recognition and incentives – Encouraging and rewarding secure behaviors helps keep motivation high.

Real cases: What happens when there’s no security culture

One of the most notable examples in 2024 was the case of Snowflake, a cloud data storage provider. An attacker managed to compromise client credentials due to the lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) on critical accounts.
This wasn’t a tech failure — it was an operational and cultural gap: there was no clear policy or culture enforcing security best practices at all access points. The result? Exposure of sensitive data from more than 160 client companies.

Another frequent case is Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams, where someone in Finance or Accounting receives an urgent email, seemingly from the CEO or CFO, requesting a wire transfer. These attacks, driven by social engineering, have led to multi-million-dollar losses — not because of technical failures, but due to a lack of training and clear protocols.

Why mid-sized companies are at greater risk

Large enterprises often have well-structured security departments. Smaller businesses tend to rely on outsourced solutions. But mid-sized companies (between 50 and 500 employees) are the ones that suffer the most:
They are exposed enough to be valuable targets, but don’t always have the resources or internal culture to defend themselves properly.

In many cases, there’s no formal CISO, and cybersecurity responsibilities are scattered across IT, operations, or even general management. If the culture is not well defined, security becomes a “black box” that no one feels ownership of — and that’s where slip-ups happen.

How to start building this culture

Here are some practical recommendations that can be applied in any company, regardless of size or industry:

• Include cybersecurity from day one – Make sure every new hire knows from the start that protecting information is part of their role.

• Make security a regular topic in team meetings – Share metrics, incidents, and best practices regularly.

• Run phishing simulations and analyze results – Not to punish, but to educate and improve.

• Appoint security champions in each team – Non-technical people who are passionate about promoting secure habits.

• Partner with specialized platforms – Leverage experts to support training, diagnostics, and strategic guidance.

How can Seccuri help?

At Seccuri.com, we understand that building a security culture is not achieved through a single training session — and it’s definitely not the sole responsibility of the IT team.

That’s why we offer solutions that help:

• Evaluate knowledge gaps across the organization, not just in IT.

• Design personalized career paths based on each role.

• Strengthen key skills at all levels — from entry-level to executive leadership.

• Connect companies with skilled cybersecurity talent to lead or support culture-building and risk management efforts.

• Support organizational maturity through current program assessments and defining tailored cybersecurity initiatives based on risk profile and cyber risk appetite.

Is your organization truly prepared?

The real question isn’t whether you have firewalls or if your IT team is trained.
The key question is:

Does your organization live a cybersecurity culture where everyone feels part of the problem and the solution?

If the answer isn’t a strong yes, it’s time to act.

 Visit Seccuri.com to learn how we can help strengthen your security culture, or book a 30-minute call with our team here.

The next breach isn’t a matter of if, but when.
What will make the difference is how ready your organization is to detect it, contain it — and prevent it — from the inside.

Sources:

• IBM Security. (2024). Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024. IBM Corporation

• IBM Security. (2024). Cost of a Data Breach by Industry: Industrial. IBM Think

• Verizon. (2024). 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR). Verizon Enterprise

• Mimecast. (2025). 60% of breaches involve human error, Verizon finds. Mimecast Blog

• SecurityWeek. (2024, July 18). Cost of data breach in US rises to $10.22 million. SecurityWeek

• UpGuard. (2024). Cost of a Data Breach: Statistics and Trends. UpGuard

• SpyCloud. (2024). Verizon 2025 DBIR: Human Risk Is Still Cybersecurity's Biggest Weakness. SpyCloud

• Security Magazine. (2024, July 11). Verizon 2024 DBIR: Human element remains top risk. Security Magazine