Economics has a lot to do with cybersecurity because money plays a role in many of the decisions that businesses and cybercriminals make. One example is that many cybercriminals are motivated by money. They may steal personal information, commit fraud, or use ransomware to make a profit. Cyberattacks can cause businesses to lose a lot of money, which shows that cybersecurity is not just about technology. It can also be an economic issue.

Economics also connects to how businesses decide how much money they should spend on cybersecurity. Businesses have to pay for things like security tools, employee training, and cybersecurity professionals. The ODU article explains that businesses can use cost-benefit analysis to compare how much cybersecurity protection costs to how much they could lose from a cyberattack (Thornton, 2025). A business may try to save money by spending less on security, but that could end up costing them more if an attack happens.

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 also shows the importance of managing and prioritizing cybersecurity risks (National Institute of Standards and Technology [NIST], 2024). Businesses have to figure out which risks are the most important and where they should use their money and resources. I think this shows a strong connection between economics and cybersecurity because businesses have to make smart financial decisions while still protecting their systems, information, and customers.