The Most Common Cybersecurity Myths

Which of these 10 common cybersecurity myths have you fallen prey to in the past?

Cybersecurity is critical for every organization. Yet, myths and misconceptions still create blind spots that put businesses at risk. 

Our ethical hackers at Packetlabs break down 10 of the most common myths… starting here with the first 10.

Myth #1: “My business is too small to be a target.”

Reality: Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are prime targets. Limited budgets and fewer security controls make them easier to exploit.

Did you know?

• 43% of all cyberattacks target SMBs

• 61% of SMBs were attacked in 2023

• 87% of stored customer data is vulnerable to compromise

• Nearly 40% lost critical data after an attack

• The average SMB incident cost is $3 million USD

Threat actors don’t discriminate. They go where defenses are weakest.

Takeaway: No business is “too small” for attackers. If you’re handling customer data, financial information, or intellectual property, you’re a target. SMBs need to prioritize affordable and scalable security controls, such as vulnerability assessments and managed detection solutions, to reduce exposure.

Myth #2: “Antivirus software is enough.”

Reality: Antivirus helps, but it only catches known threats. Modern attackers use phishing, social engineering, and zero-day exploits that bypass AV tools.

What you need instead:

• Firewalls & intrusion detection systems

• Security awareness training for employees

• Regular penetration testing

• Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

Takeaway: Relying on antivirus alone is like locking your front door but leaving the windows open. Effective cybersecurity is multilayered: prevention, detection, and response must work together to stop evolving threats.

Myth #3: “Changing passwords keeps me safe.”

Reality: Passwords alone are easy to crack. Brute-force attacks, phishing, and leaked credential databases make them unreliable.

Best practices:

• Use banned password lists (e.g., Azure AD)

• Block weak or recycled passwords

• Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA)

• Deploy a password manager for unique credentials

Takeaway: Password hygiene is important, but without MFA and strong credential management, accounts remain at risk. Organizations should adopt passwordless authentication methods where possible and implement zero-trust access controls.

Myth #4: “Backups in the cloud are enough.”

Reality: Cloud backups follow a shared responsibility model. Data can still be compromised—and recovery takes time.

🛡️ Safer approach:

• Maintain both on-prem and cloud backups

• Test your recovery process regularly

• Encrypt backups & secure access controls

A backup is only useful if it works when you need it most.

Takeaway: Backups are critical, but they are not a silver bullet. Ransomware often targets backup files first, and slow recovery processes can still cause costly downtime. Frequent testing and layered backup strategies are essential for resilience.

Myth #5: “Compliance equals security.”

Reality: Compliance sets a baseline, not a guarantee. Attackers don’t care if you tick boxes.

What real security requires:

• Regular penetration testing by certified experts (OSCP, CISSP, OSWE)

• Ongoing employee training and phishing simulations

• Access controls, segmentation, and risk-based assessments

Takeaway: Passing an audit doesn’t mean you’re secure. Compliance standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, or PCI-DSS are important, but they are snapshots in time. True security demands continuous monitoring, active defense, and regular red-team exercises.

Myth #6: “Cybersecurity is only the IT department’s responsibility.”

Reality: Security is an organization-wide responsibility. Employees are often the first line of defense, and leadership sets the tone for a culture of security.

📊 Research shows: Human error contributes to over 80% of breaches, often through phishing or misconfiguration.

Best practices:

• Provide regular awareness training

• Encourage incident reporting without blame

• Embed security into business processes

Takeaway: Every employee has a role to play. CISOs must collaborate with HR, finance, operations, and leadership to build an organizational culture where security is everyone’s responsibility.

Myth #7: “Cyber insurance will cover everything.”

Reality: Cyber insurance can help offset costs, but it is not a substitute for prevention. Policies often have exclusions, and insurers may deny claims if security controls are deemed inadequate.

📊 Consider this: In 2022, many insurers tightened requirements, demanding MFA, EDR, and incident response plans before issuing coverage.

Takeaway: Think of cyber insurance as a seatbelt — it mitigates impact but won’t prevent a crash. Strong security measures remain essential.

Myth #8: “We’d know if we were breached.”

Reality: Many breaches go undetected for months. The average dwell time in 2023 was over 200 days before detection.

Implications:

• Attackers can exfiltrate sensitive data over time

• Persistent threats can escalate access gradually

Best practices:

• Deploy SIEM and continuous monitoring

• Conduct regular threat hunting

• Test detection and response capabilities with red-team exercises

Takeaway: Silence isn’t safety. Proactive monitoring and detection are key to reducing dwell time and minimizing impact.

Myth #9: “Cybersecurity is too expensive.”

Reality: Breaches cost far more than prevention. The average cost of a data breach in 2023 reached $4.45 million USD, while proactive security investments are a fraction of that.

Cost-effective strategies:

• Outsource penetration testing and monitoring

• Adopt cloud-native security solutions

• Prioritize high-impact risks based on threat modeling

Takeaway: Cybersecurity isn’t a cost center — it’s risk management. For every dollar invested in prevention, organizations save many more in avoided incident costs.

Myth #10: “Once secured, always secured.”

Reality: Security is not static. New vulnerabilities are discovered daily, and attacker tactics evolve constantly.

Key facts:

• Over 25,000 CVEs were published globally in 2022

• Attackers rapidly weaponize new exploits, sometimes within days

Best practices:

• Continuous patch management

• Ongoing penetration testing

• Regular updates to security policies and processes

Takeaway: Security is a journey, not a destination. Organizations must adopt continuous improvement and testing to stay ahead of attackers.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity myths are dangerous because they create a false sense of safety. Whether it’s assuming your business is too small, believing antivirus is enough, or assuming insurance will cover everything, these misconceptions leave organizations exposed.

The truth is that cybersecurity is dynamic, shared, and continuous. It requires:

• A layered defense strategy

• Organization-wide involvement

• Continuous monitoring and improvement

• Testing and validation through expert-led penetration testing

At Packetlabs, our ethical hackers help organizations uncover and address these blind spots. From hardware and firmware penetration testing to enterprise-wide red-team engagements, we expose vulnerabilities before they’re exploited in the real world.

Challenge the myths. Build resilience. Protect what matters most.