Redefining Cybersecurity Value: A CFO’s Take on ROI and Resilience
Cybersecurity is how modern businesses grow with confidence. But only if that investment is tested, validated, and aligned to what really matters.
Why security spend only delivers value when it’s tested, validated, and aligned to growth.
Cybersecurity used to be seen as a cost. A necessary one, but still a cost. Something you invest in to meet compliance requirements or clean up after an incident. As a CFO, I’ve been in those budget conversations and I understand why it has traditionally been difficult to link cybersecurity spending to clear financial return.
But that mindset is changing. Gartner now positions cybersecurity as a digital business enabler. I agree with that perspective. Security is not just about protection. It is about giving the rest of the organisation the confidence and freedom to grow. Whether you are launching products, scaling infrastructure, or handling sensitive data, strong security posture is what makes all of that sustainable.
The challenge is that investment decisions do not always reflect this shift. I still see businesses responding to risk by adding more tools. More dashboards, more licences, more vendors. But without validating what is already in place, that spend quickly becomes hard to justify.
“Why keep spending more if you don’t even know if your current tools work?”
This is where validation becomes critical. At CovertSwarm, we help organisations understand how their security controls hold up in the real world. Our approach is constant offensive testing, not one-off annual reviews. We simulate live attacks across a variety of threat types, systems, and business scenarios. This gives teams clarity around what is working, what is not, and where they are exposed.
It is also a more efficient cybersecurity strategy. Rather than building large internal teams or continuing to invest in unproven solutions, you focus spend where it actually reduces risk. You are not spending more, you are spending better as with Covertswarm you have access to a wide range of specific skillsets depending on your risk profile.
What I find valuable about this model is how it supports board-level cybersecurity conversations. Leadership teams are not asking for more tools. They are asking for evidence. They want to know how well their existing controls perform and whether their investment aligns with real business risk.
“It’s like owning a high-performance vehicle. You wouldn’t drive it without a maintenance plan.”
Cybersecurity is no different. It needs consistent attention if you want performance when it counts. And when that foundation is strong, everything else in the business benefits. Teams can ship faster. Customers feel more confident. Brand trust holds up under pressure.
This is what effective risk management in cybersecurity looks like. It is not just about avoiding fines or chasing compliance. It is about giving the business room to move forward.
To me, this is the true cybersecurity ROI. You protect the value you are creating elsewhere and you make sure every security investment works as hard as it should.