Cybersecurity Blind Spots: What Business Leaders Often Miss
Cybersecurity Blind Spots: What Business Leaders Often Miss
Our partners know how critical cybersecurity is in today’s world. But often what they fail to see are the dangers lurking in plain sight.
These aren’t screaming, headline-grabbing threats. They’re small but preventable ones like a compromised password, forgotten accounts, or misconfigured access.
They may not seem like a dangerous gap, but they leave the door open to cyberattacks. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the most common cybersecurity gaps and offer practical ways to address them before they become a problem.
Where Businesses Slip Up
- Unpatched Systems & Software: Missed updates are one of the most common entry points for attackers.
- Shadow IT & Unauthorized Devices: Employees sometimes install apps or connect personal devices that bypass internal controls.
- Excessive or Misconfigured Access: Too many permissions = too much risk.
- Outdated or Unsupported Security Tools: Security tools need to evolve just as quickly as threats do.
- Inactive or Orphaned Accounts: Old accounts are gold mines for attackers.
- Firewall & Network Misconfigurations: A firewall is only as strong as its rules.
- Backups That Aren’t Tested: A backup you can’t restore isn’t a backup.
- Missing Security Monitoring: You can’t respond to what you can’t see.
- Compliance Gaps: Policies and documentation aren’t always top of mind for busy teams.
Cybersecurity blind spots don’t disappear on their own – they’re eliminated through disciplined, ongoing processes. That’s the role we play in your organization every day.
Do Your Part: What Business Leaders Can Do to Strengthen Security
Even with a fully managed security stack, business leadership plays a crucial role in keeping the organization safe. A strong cybersecurity posture is most effective when owners and executives support the right habits, policies, and expectations throughout the business. Here are a few high-impact ways you can contribute:
- Set the Tone From the Top
Your team mirrors your behavior. When leadership treats cybersecurity as a priority – by using MFA, secure password managers, reporting suspicious emails, and following policies – employees take it seriously too. - Communicate Cyber Expectations Clearly
Employees shouldn’t guess what “secure” looks like. Regularly reinforce reminders around phishing awareness, password hygiene, data handling, and acceptable use. When everyone understands what’s expected, mistakes drop dramatically. - Approve and Support Security Policies
We can implement best practices, but they work best when leadership approves and upholds them – including access control, device use, onboarding/offboarding, and acceptable use policies. - Keep Us Informed of Business Changes
New hires, role changes, terminations, new software, new locations – small changes can impact your security posture. A quick heads-up ensures we can secure systems, accounts, and workflows right away. - Encourage a “Report It, Don’t Ignore It” Culture
Employees should feel comfortable reporting suspicious emails, odd pop-ups, or possible mistakes. A no-blame approach leads to earlier detection and faster resolution. - Make Time for Periodic Reviews
Quarterly check-ins help ensure your technology and risk posture align with your business goals. It’s also the best time to plan for growth, new tools, compliance needs, or security enhancements. - Budget Proactively for Cybersecurity
Strong security is most effective when it’s planned, not reactive. By treating cybersecurity as an ongoing investment – not an emergency expense – you strengthen protection, stability, and resilience.
📌 Did You Know?
- Around 47% of organizations allow employee access from unmanaged devices (e.g., personal phones) via only credentials.
- More than 50% of businesses say that unsanctioned apps or services (“shadow IT”) reduce their ability to enforce security policies. 53% of CIOs say Shadow IT impacts their ability to enforce security policies effectively
- Despite having formal policy frameworks, only 50% of organizations actively monitor shadow-IT activities.
- According to the same study, 80% of employees believe they are not putting company data at risk by using unauthorized apps
What this means for your business: Even if you have strong controls on officially managed systems, unmanaged devices and unapproved software remain significant risk vectors. Every time someone uses a personal device, or an employee sidesteps a standard app, it adds invisible “gaps” – which is exactly what cyber-attackers look for.