Establishing a cybersecurity program may inherit some cost upon initial start-up, but the benefits of it are well worth the startup price than the price you may have to pay if your business has no protection. It would be nice to say that we live in a world where nothing goes wrong, but we do not. Everything needs some form of protection. Even something as simple as leaving a dog in a room with a trash can with no lid will likely need to be protected from the curious dog if the trash smells appealing to that dog. Like the dog, your data smells or has good information, and the attackers want it. If you leave it open you make it easy for them to get it. Therefore, investing in a cybersecurity program may be somewhat pricey, but the benefits make it worthwhile.

The price of a cybersecurity program can depend on several factors because not all companies require the same protection. Some of the factors that may raise or lower the price are the number of assets and employees, the number of risk factors and the types of threats they could endure, the types of data, the products, and services that are required for protection, and which level of protection chosen for security. Unfortunately, there is not an easy bake oven recipe that can be baked to form the perfect security package for free or at a cheap price. However, according to scarlettcybersecurity.com, most programs will cost from .2% to .9% of a company’s annual revenue or approximately 1300 – 3000 dollars for each full-time employee. Chancey, Tyler, “How Much Does Cybersecurity Cost, Scarlettcybersecurity“, July 5, 2021, How Much Does Cybersecurity Cost? | Scarlett Cybersecurity Services, October 23, 2022. Regardless of the price a company would appreciate the benefits of establishing a program.

Having a cybersecurity program comes with several benefits. With a program in place, a company is less likely to have viruses and worms that could cause data corruption. For companies that are responsible for private data, cybersecurity will protect against data theft. Having protection will also provide a good reputation for the business to future and current clients. Lastly, the benefits could be as simple as being able to keep the business afloat. Some businesses do not survive after a cyberattack. In other words, the price for protection is much cheaper than the loss of clientele or the entire company.