Culture Secures The Business: Cybersecurity Is a People Problem, Not Just a Technology One

Get the Board on Board

For boards and executive teams, cybersecurity must be treated as a business risk and regulatory obligation, not simply an IT issue.

The UK Cyber Skills Gap Is a Governance Risk

The UK cybersecurity skills shortage is now a recognised national risk. According to UK Government research, 47 percent of UK businesses have a basic cyber security skills gap, while around 30 percent lack advanced technical cyber skills within their workforce.

These gaps directly increase exposure by:

• Slowing detection and response to incidents

• Creating reliance on a small number of key individuals

• Weakening an organisation’s ability to meet Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, and NIS compliance expectations

For boards, this is not a recruitment problem. It is an operational resilience and governance issue.

Human Factors Drive the Majority of Cyber Incidents

Cyber incidents continue to be driven by human risk. Global breach analysis consistently shows that over 80 percent of data breaches involve human factors, such as phishing, credential misuse, or configuration errors.

UK data mirrors this trend. The UK Cybersecurity Breaches Survey repeatedly identifies phishing as the most common type of cyber attack affecting UK businesses.

This highlights a critical board-level reality. Technology cannot compensate for undertrained teams or unclear accountability.

Capability Building Improves Cyber and Regulatory Resilience

Hiring alone will not close the cyber skills gap. Industry workforce studies show that skills gaps now have a greater impact on cyber maturity than simple headcount shortages, reflecting the difficulty of finding and retaining experienced cyber professionals.

Leading UK organisations are responding by:

• Upskilling existing IT and operational teams

• Embedding security responsibility across infrastructure, cloud, and service delivery

• Reducing dependence on a constrained talent market

From a board perspective, this strengthens resilience, improves audit outcomes, and delivers better long-term value from cybersecurity investment.

Security Culture Is a Critical Control Under UK Regulation

Security culture shapes how people behave when controls are tested. Despite this, UK Government data shows that formal board-level responsibility for cybersecurity has declined from 38 percent in 2021 to around 27 percent in 2025, even as threat levels and regulatory scrutiny have increased.

Boards should expect to see:

• Clear executive ownership of cyber risk

• Consistent leadership messaging on security priorities

• A culture where incidents and near misses are reported early

Under UK regulatory frameworks, culture is no longer assumed. It is examinable.

Cyber Risk Must Be Framed in Business Terms

One of the most common weaknesses in cyber governance is reporting that is overly technical and disconnected from business impact. Boards need cyber risk articulated in terms of:

• Operational disruption and downtime

• Financial and regulatory exposure

• Reputational impact and customer trust

This aligns cybersecurity with broader UK corporate governance and enterprise risk management expectations.

Leadership Is the Strongest Cyber Control

UK cyber regulation increasingly emphasises accountability, capability, and governance. Organisations that invest in people, skills, and culture alongside technology are better prepared to prevent incidents, respond effectively, and recover quickly.

Cybersecurity is not just an IT responsibility. It is a board-level obligation, and leadership remains the most effective control available.

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