Cyber security's new reality: Every organisation is now on the front line

Image of Bob Bailkoski with title Cyber security's new reality: every organisation is now on the front line

Global, Oct 22, 2026

by Logicalis CEO, Bob Bailkoski

There was a time when a cyber-attack was largely invisible to the outside world. An attack might begin with suspicious activity detected by a security team, followed by an investigation conducted behind the scenes. Customers, partners and investors often remained unaware until long after the event had been contained. Unfortunately, that is no longer our reality. 

Cyber attacks are increasingly public events, capable of immediately impacting customer trust, brand reputation and business value in real time. In the recent incident involving ASOS, where a hacking group sent out a mass push notification to customers making them aware of the attack, demonstrates just how quickly a security event can become visible to millions of people. Despite ASOS’ reassurances that no financial data had been compromised, the effect of the attack led to a 10% drop in share price. 

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ASOS push notification sent by hackers

Whether an organisation operates in retail, financial services, manufacturing, healthcare or the public sector, there is an important lesson to be learnt. Cybersecurity is no longer simply an IT issue. It is a business issue, and more specifically one centred around trust. 

According to Logicalis’ ‘Closing the Security Maturity Gap’ report, cyber security is entering a new operating era. AI is increasing the speed, scale and adaptability of both attack and defence, while growing digital estates are making complete visibility increasingly difficult to achieve. The report highlights that nearly two-thirds (64%) of organisations lack mature 24x7 security operations and almost three-quarters (74%) are not extensively using security automation. 

While many leaders may feel that they have already invested in cyber security, there is a significant difference between owning security tools and having a mature security operation. Our research found that many organisations continue to face challenges in areas such as around-the-clock response, operational visibility, incident readiness and automated response capabilities. At the same time, AI is helping attackers move faster and operate at a greater scale, shrinking the window organisations have to detect and contain threats before damage occurs. 

The most resilient organisations are not necessarily those making the largest technology investments. It’s the organisations that are creating coordinated operating models that bring together people, processes and technology to work together. They maintain visibility across complex environments, continuously monitor threats and test response plans. Resilience is not about preventing every attack, but ensuring that you can respond effectively when an attack occurs. 

A cyber attack today can affect customer confidence before an investigation is even complete. It can influence investor sentiment before facts are fully established and dominate headlines before a business has had the opportunity to communicate its response. In an environment where trust is one of an organisation’s most valuable assets, the speed at which reputational damage can occur is unprecedented. The organisations that will thrive in the years ahead will be those that treat cyber security as a boardroom and operational priority rather than a technical afterthought. Because in today’s threat landscape, security is no longer just about protecting systems, it’s about protecting trust. And trust has never been more valuable. 

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