This blog explores why cybersecurity awareness must start at the top. When leaders engage, teams follow. It is not just about policies or posters. It is about example, ownership and visibility. Culture shifts when leadership turns cybersecurity into a shared mission.
In 2017, Equifax, one of the largest credit bureaus in the US, suffered a data breach exposing the personal data of 147 million people. But the breach was not just technical. It was cultural.
Internal reports showed that patch management had failed, communication between departments was broken, and leadership downplayed the urgency. The result? A 650 million dollar settlement, global outrage, and irreparable brand damage.
This was not a failure of knowledge. It was a failure of ownership. Leadership did not just miss a threat. They missed their role in creating a security first culture. When leaders go quiet, security turns into a checklist. Teams stop reporting mistakes. Best practices become blurred. And when a crisis hits, no one knows who is responsible.
At Phantom’sLab, we don’t just inform. We train reflexes. Our scenarios aren’t built to be read. They’re built to be felt.
Imagine hearing your CEO’s voice asking for a transfer. Seeing a deepfake video that looks just real enough. Or spotting a login prompt you swear you’ve seen before.
Cyber attackers don’t send warnings. They send stress. And under stress, your team won’t remember a checklist. They’ll rely on instinct. That is why our game based approach simulates the pressure of real world attacks. So your people learn not just what to do, but when it matters most.
Let’s explore how strong leadership can become your greatest defense.
Leadership is not a checklist. It is the spark that ignites a culture. In real incidents there is no pause button. No safety net. Only decisions. That is why our solutions are built to simulate the pressure, the pace and the shared responsibility of leading through risk. Not just training, but transformation.
This blog is written by Veerle Peeters, Cyber Awareness Expert at Phantom’slab. After 20 years investigating fraud and security breaches at PwC and Deloitte, she uncovered a deeper truth. People do not fail security because they lack knowledge. They fail when no one leads with example.
Today, Veerle helps organizations shift from blame to behavior and from silence to shared responsibility. Because when leaders change the tone, people change their behavior. And that changes everything.
Rules can create order. But only culture creates loyalty. When pressure hits, your team won’t follow a checklist. They’ll follow your lead. We help you build those values into your training and your leadership.
