“If we haven’t been attacked so far, that means we’re fine.”
“We have antivirus. We’re covered.”
“We don’t have anything valuable to steal.”
These ways of looking at cybersecurity seem logical at first glance. However, they exist because risks are so vaguely defined in our minds that we no longer perceive them as risks (even though, theoretically, we know they exist).
In psychology, there is the concept of “psychological distance” (Construal Level Theory): the more abstract or distant a threat seems, the less likely we perceive it to happen to us.
A cyberattack is often invisible until it becomes visible through its consequences.
The lack of a concrete understanding of what a cyberattack actually means makes the threat seem abstract, distant, “something that happens to other people.”
But reality is different: in Romania, in the first months of this year, there were almost 300% more cyberattacks compared to the same period of the previous year.
The complicated geopolitical context, the expansion of artificial intelligence, and accelerated digitalization are just some of the reasons why these threats are growing exponentially. (source: HotNews)
From the perspective of risk psychology, many people imagine a cyberattack very differently from what it actually looks like. Many have a “Hollywood” version in mind, which causes them to miss the real warning signs.
A cyberattack is not something that can always be stopped with antivirus software. There is nothing wrong with having antivirus—in fact, we recommend it. But we need to be aware that antivirus is only one of many security measures. It does not stop all forms of phishing, misconfigurations, access errors, application vulnerabilities, or uncontrolled use of AI.
What does a cyberattack actually mean?
A cyberattack is a hostile, deliberate action carried out in cyberspace with the aim of: gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or data; stealing, modifying, blocking, or destroying information or functionality; disrupting the operations of an organization or even critical infrastructure.
(source: SRI)
Concrete examples:
- Ransomware: encrypting files and demanding a ransom for decryption;
- Phishing: fraudulent emails designed to steal credentials;
- DDoS: blocking a website by flooding it with fake traffic;
- Info-stealers: programs that extract passwords and banking data.
Cybersecurity isn’t just “something IT people do”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that cybersecurity belongs exclusively to the IT department. In reality, IT implements the technical controls, but the decisions that truly reduce risk concern the entire organization: how processes, suppliers, data, access to information, and even the use of artificial intelligence are managed.
Why is it important to understand what an attack means?
Because perception determines response. If we don’t understand the mechanism, we treat cybersecurity as a “technical problem,” rather than as a strategic risk.
The way we define a risk influences how much attention we give it. If we perceive it as immediate and easy to understand, we act. If we perceive it as abstract, technical, or unlikely, we tend to postpone it. This applies to cybersecurity, but not only.
For many people, a cyberattack is still a vague image: a hacker in a hoodie, lines of code on a screen, or a virus stopped by antivirus software. It is a spectacular but distant event that seems to concern other people.
In reality, a cyberattack is a business risk. It can disrupt operations, block access to critical systems, affect customer relationships, generate financial losses, and create legal consequences. And if the organization perceives it only as an IT problem, the response will be exclusively technical.
The reality is that:
- The impact is not only technical. An attack can block real estate transactions (the ANCPI case), suspend prisoner transfers (the ANP case), or disrupt hospitals or utilities.
- Every employee is a line of defense. Most attacks begin with human error: a weak password, a link clicked accidentally, or an unupdated device.
- Cybersecurity is an ongoing responsibility. No security architecture, no matter how sophisticated, can eliminate risk if basic vulnerabilities remain: weak passwords, outdated systems, and lack of awareness.
Conclusion:
Cybersecurity should not be the response to an attack. Often, it is; we call this “reactive cybersecurity.” At FORT, we advocate for a proactive approach. An attack is not ground zero. The process leading to an attack begins months earlier, through weaknesses that we ignore.
We explained what an attack means, why it happens, and how it affects us, not to provide theory or for SEO purposes. But because it is the first step toward resilience.
We cannot effectively protect ourselves from risks we do not understand, at least at a general level. We do not need to be cybersecurity experts, just as we do not need to be doctors to understand the importance of prevention.
However, when cybersecurity is perceived solely through the lens of products or technical solutions, the conversation moves in the wrong direction. Instead of discussing business continuity and risk management, we end up discussing antivirus, firewalls, or licenses. And that is only a small part of the picture.
