Cybersecurity Is No Longer Optional: Here's What's Really at Stake

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-13

### The Question Every Business Leader Is Asking Whether I'm talking to a retailer in Italy, a fintech founder in London, or a bank executive in Germany, I keep hearing the same thing. How do we keep innovating and moving fast without putting our business and customers at risk? It's a fair question. Across Europe, companies are pouring money into new tech, embracing AI, and finding fresh ways to serve customers. The ambition is clearly there. But confidence? That's harder to come by. ### Why Cybersecurity Left the Server Room For years, cybersecurity was seen as an IT problem. That view is outdated. A single breach can halt operations, wreck customer relationships, and destroy trust you spent years building. Today, these conversations happen in the boardroom, not just the server room. Recent Mastercard research found that 93% of European organisations experienced fraud or attempted cyberattacks in the past year. Nearly a third said those attempts are happening more often. ### The Real Problem: Uncertainty Numbers only tell part of the story. What sticks with me is the uncertainty behind them. Leaders know they need to act, but they're not sure where to start or whether their investments are working. Seven in ten business leaders say measuring the success of cybersecurity investments is tough. Many also struggle with legacy systems and AI-powered attacks. ### Rethinking the Goal We need to change how we talk about cybersecurity. The goal isn't to eliminate every risk. No one can promise that. Instead, businesses need the confidence that comes from understanding their exposure, preparing for disruption, and knowing how to respond when something goes wrong. > "Resilience isn't about avoiding every storm—it's about building a ship that can weather one." ### What Smart Companies Are Doing Encouragingly, many organisations are already shifting their approach. One in three European business leaders say they're broadening their cybersecurity priorities as they adopt more technology. That includes: - Real-time monitoring and incident response - Supplier risk management - Compliance with evolving AI regulation These aren't just technical choices. They're decisions about protecting your ability to operate, innovate, and keep customer trust. ### No Business Operates Alone Suppliers, tech providers, payment partners—they all play a role in keeping your business safe. A weakness in one part of that network can ripple across the rest. That's why third-party risk management is now a top priority for leaders. Many European leaders admit they don't have all the answers in-house. The best partners help you make sense of a changing landscape, spot emerging risks sooner, and respond with greater confidence. ### Collaboration Is the New Resilience At Mastercard, we've learned that resilience grows through collaboration. Our European Cyber Resilience Centre brings businesses together with governments, regulators, and law enforcement to share intelligence and strengthen collective defences. We keep investing in technologies and partnerships that help organisations understand cyber risk and respond to emerging threats. ### Technology Alone Isn't Enough Technology matters, but it will never be enough on its own. Resilience also depends on leadership, clear accountability, and a culture where security is part of everyday decisions. Boards should ask not only whether they're protected, but how risk is measured, how quickly they could recover, and what a serious incident would mean for customer trust. ### The Bottom Line Cybersecurity isn't just an IT issue anymore. It's a business imperative. The companies that thrive will be those that build confidence through preparation, collaboration, and a culture that takes security seriously—not just in the server room, but in every room.