Verizon’s latest Data Breach Investigations Report is a reminder that cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern. It is a financial, operational and vendor-risk issue. The report found that exploiting software vulnerabilities has become the top breach entry point for the first time in the report’s 19-year history, while third-party involvement now accounts for 48% of breaches. The report also warned that employee use of unapproved AI tools is creating new exposure for employers. Finance leaders should treat cybersecurity as part of enterprise risk management, with disciplined patching, stronger vendor oversight and clear AI policies helping protect operations, customer data and the balance sheet.

“Cyber risk is financial risk,” said Jacob Sargent, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s director of public policy services. “Manufacturers cannot afford to treat vendor access, outdated software or unapproved AI tools as someone else’s problem.” 5/26/2026