🔐 The Illusion of Equality in Cyber Risk

🌍 A risk that seems universal

At first glance, cyber risk appears to be an equal threat to all organizations. In reality, exposure levels and the ability to respond differ drastically depending on the size of the company, its industry, and the resources it can mobilize.

🏢 Large corporations: highly visible but better protected

• Big companies are prime targets for attackers, given the value of their data and operations.

• Yet they often have dedicated cybersecurity teams, advanced monitoring systems, and significant budgets to defend themselves.

• Their vulnerability is real, but their resilience capacity is far greater than that of smaller organizations.

🏪 SMEs: underestimated but highly exposed

• Many small and medium-sized enterprises mistakenly believe they are “too small to matter.”

• In reality, they are attractive targets: highly connected, but often under-protected.

• A single cyberattack can cause irreversible damage—from operational shutdowns and customer loss to bankruptcy.

🏥 Critical sectors and unequal exposure

• Some industries, like healthcare and critical infrastructure, are especially vulnerable: the data they handle is sensitive, and their services are vital.

• Other sectors may experience attacks, but with less dramatic consequences, creating an uneven landscape of risk.

💡 The illusion of equality

Cyber risk is universal in nature—no organization is truly immune. But its impacts are deeply unequal:

• Large corporations can usually recover.

• Smaller businesses, however, often fight for survival.

✅ Building collective resilience

To narrow this cybersecurity gap, we need to:

• Promote a universal culture of cyber awareness.

• Provide shared, affordable solutions for SMEs.

• Strengthen public–private collaboration to build systemic resilience.

---

👉 I can reshape this into a business magazine op-ed with sharper arguments, or into a practical guide for executives with actionable recommendations.