Security Fundamentals: Organizations' Biggest Weakness
Security Fundamentals: Organizations' Biggest Weakness
Cybersecurity is still seen as a secondary topic in many organizations. A common assumption is that the company is not attractive enough for attackers, and therefore it is not necessary to systematically invest in security.
However, this approach is fundamentally wrong. Attackers today do not select targets selectively, but use automated campaigns that reach a wide range of organizations, regardless of their size or industry.
At the same time, many companies mistakenly believe that implementing basic technical measures – such as firewalls, VPNs, network segmentation or backup – means a sufficient level of protection. In fact, these are only partial elements that do not provide adequate protection without a link to risk management and process safety.
A typical example is the backup area. Organizations do have backups, but they do not address their integrity and resistance to attacks (e.g. ransomware), or their real usability in a crisis situation.
A major weakness tends to be the lack of a structured approach to impact management and continuity. Many organizations do not have:
In addition, practice has repeatedly shown that IT and security teams often encounter insufficient support from management, especially in terms of budget. Investments in security are postponed because their benefits are not immediately visible. However, when an incident occurs, the damage incurred – financial, reputational and operational – is many times higher than the cost of preventive measures.
In the long term, however, the biggest weakness remains the human factor. All it takes is a single successful phishing attack or inappropriate management of access data (e.g. using the same password across systems) and an attacker gains an entry point into the organization's infrastructure.
Therefore, security cannot be built only on technology. The key is the combination of:
Organizations that underestimate this balance remain vulnerable despite seemingly "implemented" security measures.
BDO supports organizations in particular in the following areas:
The goal is not just to "meet the requirements", but to set up security so that it is functional, sustainable and corresponds to the real risks of the organization.
Compliance alone does not ensure security. If it remains only at the level of documentation and formal fulfillment of requirements, it does not bring real value to the organization.
In practice, we still encounter that organizations perceive the implementation of standards such as ISO 27001 primarily as a "checkbox" – i.e. a tool for formal demonstration to customers or regulatory requirements. The result is often a situation where there is extensive documentation, but the real processes, risk management and security measures do not correspond to the declared state.
However, this approach is fundamentally wrong. Attackers today do not select targets selectively, but use automated campaigns that reach a wide range of organizations, regardless of their size or industry.
At the same time, many companies mistakenly believe that implementing basic technical measures – such as firewalls, VPNs, network segmentation or backup – means a sufficient level of protection. In fact, these are only partial elements that do not provide adequate protection without a link to risk management and process safety.
A typical example is the backup area. Organizations do have backups, but they do not address their integrity and resistance to attacks (e.g. ransomware), or their real usability in a crisis situation.
A major weakness tends to be the lack of a structured approach to impact management and continuity. Many organizations do not have:
- Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
- Defined critical systems and processes
- set RPO and RTO parameters
- Prepared and tested incident response and disaster recovery scenarios
In addition, practice has repeatedly shown that IT and security teams often encounter insufficient support from management, especially in terms of budget. Investments in security are postponed because their benefits are not immediately visible. However, when an incident occurs, the damage incurred – financial, reputational and operational – is many times higher than the cost of preventive measures.
In the long term, however, the biggest weakness remains the human factor. All it takes is a single successful phishing attack or inappropriate management of access data (e.g. using the same password across systems) and an attacker gains an entry point into the organization's infrastructure.
Therefore, security cannot be built only on technology. The key is the combination of:
- functional processes
- appropriate technical measures
- systematic user awareness raising
Organizations that underestimate this balance remain vulnerable despite seemingly "implemented" security measures.
How BDO can help:
Practical experience shows that organizations often know what they should do, but lack the capacity, know-how or a structured approach to implementation. It is in this area that an external partner can significantly speed up and improve the entire process.BDO supports organizations in particular in the following areas:
- Employee education and awareness – targeted training focused on real-world threats, including simulated phishing campaigns
- Business Impact Analysis (BIA) – identification of critical processes and systems, determination of impacts and priorities
- Business Continuity (BCM) and Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP) – definition of procedures for crisis management and recovery
- Incident response (IR) plans – preparing the organization for an effective response to security incidents
- Implementation and development of ISMS – creation and optimization of security documentation in accordance with the required standards (např. ISO 27001)
- Internal audits and GAP analyses – objective evaluation of the current state of security and identification of weaknesses in relation to standards and best practice
The goal is not just to "meet the requirements", but to set up security so that it is functional, sustainable and corresponds to the real risks of the organization.
Conclusion: from compliance to real resilience
Compliance alone does not ensure security. If it remains only at the level of documentation and formal fulfillment of requirements, it does not bring real value to the organization. In practice, we still encounter that organizations perceive the implementation of standards such as ISO 27001 primarily as a "checkbox" – i.e. a tool for formal demonstration to customers or regulatory requirements. The result is often a situation where there is extensive documentation, but the real processes, risk management and security measures do not correspond to the declared state.