Average Cost of Data Breach

(Carolin on Linkedin)

$4.44 MILLION

That’s the global average cost of a data breach.

(Source: IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025)

Added $670k for Shadow #AI.

Now here’s the part most founders and managing directors miss:

In the #US?

$10.22 MILLION average per breach; higher regulatory fines; higher detection and escalation costs.

In the #EU?

General Data Protection Regulation (hashtag#GDPR) was much about monetary penalties. 

With #NIS2 (Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructures), #DORA (Banking & Insurance), #CRA (Technical Products), it’s no longer just about fines - it's about supply chains!

Unprepared Startups and SMEs are already being quietly excluded from enterprise deals because they don’t meet their client's cybersecurity requirements.

Depending on the client relationship: No warning. No feedback. Just lost deals.

I see this regularly in my CISO projects.

Confession - I also recommend contract cancellations when companies don't make it through my vendor check. 

While I always offer a personal feedback and a fair chance to do better before doing so!

AND as enterprises invest heavily in meeting regulatory requirements, SMEs are the new favourite targets!

You don’t need the perfect cybersecurity strategy from day 1 to dramatically reduce risks of cybercrime and digital fraud.

Even minimum, well-implemented measures lower negative impact immediately; and then you constantly improve and update.

Feel free to copy my proven structure and methods: start now!