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May 2025
Omar Zarabi
Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT concern, it’s a business imperative. In today’s digital world, executives and decision-makers who fail to understand cybersecurity risks are effectively gambling with their company’s future. From data breaches that break customer trust to ransomware attacks that stop operations overnight, the financial and reputational stakes are too high to ignore.
Yet many business leaders struggle to measure the effectiveness of their cybersecurity investments. Without the right metrics, it’s impossible to know if your security program is working, or if your company is a sitting duck for cybercriminals.
If you’re running a business, you need more than just vague assurances from your IT team. You need hard data that proves your security investments are reducing risk, improving response times, and ultimately protecting the bottom line. Here are the key cybersecurity metrics that every leader should demand from their security teams.
How Long Are Threats Lurking in Your Network?
Imagine a burglar sneaks into your office and hides in the supply closet. How long does it take before someone notices? That’s MTTD in a nutshell: the time it takes to identify a security incident after it occurs.
Why it matters: The longer a cybercriminal goes undetected, the more damage they can do- whether it be stealing sensitive data, deploying ransomware, or exfiltrating financial records.
What you should ask your team: How quickly are we detecting potential threats compared to industry benchmarks?What tools are we using to monitor for suspicious activity 24/7?
When Trouble Hits, How Fast Do We React?
Once a breach or cyberattack is detected, the clock starts ticking. Will your security team take hours, days, or weeks to contain the threat?
Why it matters: Every second counts. The longer an attacker has access, the more costly and devastating the breach becomes. A slow response can mean regulatory fines, reputational damage, and operational downtime that costs millions.
What you should ask your team: How quickly are we containing threats once they’re detected?Are we using automation and AI-driven tools to speed up response times?
Are We Actually Getting More Secure?
It’s not enough to just throw money at cybersecurity, you need to know it’s actually making a difference. Risk reduction is the ultimate indicator of whether your investments are protecting your company.
Why it matters: Cybersecurity isn’t about checking compliance boxes; it’s about minimizing the likelihood and impact of a catastrophic event. Executives should track how security initiatives are actually lowering risk over time.
What you should ask your team: Can you show me how our security posture has improved over the past 12 months?How many high-risk vulnerabilities have we closed?
Are We Closing the Door on Known Threats?
Unpatched systems are a hacker’s dream. Measuring how many of your endpoints, servers, and applications are missing critical updates can be a quick indicator of systemic risk.
Why it matters: Many cyberattacks exploit known vulnerabilities for which patches already exist. If your systems aren’t up to date, you’re handing attackers the keys.
What you should ask your team: What percentage of our systems are missing critical patches?What’s our average time to patch high-severity vulnerabilities?
Are Employees Falling for the Bait?
Phishing is still the #1 way attackers get in. Simulated phishing campaigns help you assess whether your staff can recognize and report suspicious emails or if they’re putting your business at risk.
Why it matters: Employees are your first line of defense or your biggest vulnerability. A high click rate means training is needed. A low rate shows awareness is improving.
What you should ask your team: How many employees clicked on simulated phishing emails last quarter?What’s the trend over the past year?
Are We Seeing Fewer Security Incidents Or More?
Tracking the number and types of incidents over time can help you understand whether your cybersecurity measures are actually reducing threats or just reacting to them.
Why it matters: An increasing number of incidents could mean your environment is more exposed or that detection tools have improved. Either way, this metric is key for trend analysis.
What you should ask your team: Are we seeing a downward trend in incident volume?Which types of incidents are most common?
Is Everyone on the Same Page About Cyber Hygiene?
If your workforce isn’t educated on security basics, even the best technology can fail. This metric shows whether your training programs are being taken seriously.
Why it matters: Training is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent breaches. Low completion rates mean your team may be unknowingly increasing risk.
What you should ask your team:What percentage of employees have completed annual cybersecurity training?How are we measuring comprehension and retention?
Cybersecurity is one of the few areas where doing nothing is far more expensive than investing wisely. Business leaders who want to protect their companies must understand the stakes and have clear ways to measure if their security efforts are working.
Without the right metrics, you’re not reducing risk, you’re just taking a gamble. To stay secure, you need real data showing that your cybersecurity strategy is keeping your business safe. The question isn’t whether cybersecurity is worth the investment, it’s whether your business can afford to go without it.
