🐐 The CISO is Just a Scapegoat: How Executives Sacrifice Security Leaders to Hide Their Own Failures

By DeadSwitch | The Cyber Ghost
“In silence, we rise. In the switch, we fade.”

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The boardroom doesn’t care about security.
They care about optics. About quarterly reports. About bonuses.

And when the inevitable breach happens?
They don’t take responsibility. They find a scapegoat.

Enter the CISO.

A figurehead forced to fight a war with no weapons.
A shield used to deflect blame when everything crumbles.
A pawn sacrificed so executives can protect their own careers.

This is corporate cybersecurity in 2025—a rigged game where security leaders are set up to fail from the moment they sign their contracts.

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THE SETUP: HOW THE C-SUITE SABOTAGES SECURITY

Let’s break this down:

1️⃣ Underfund Security.
Executives cut budgets because “nothing has happened yet.”
They refuse to upgrade defenses, patch vulnerabilities, or hire enough talent.

2️⃣ Ignore the Warnings.
The CISO screams about ransomware risks.
They flag critical misconfigurations.
They demand zero-trust implementation.
No one listens.

3️⃣ Focus on Compliance, Not Security.
The only thing that matters?
Passing audits. Looking good on paper. Checking the boxes.
Actual security? An afterthought.

4️⃣ Breach Happens. Chaos Ensues.
Attackers walk in like they own the place.
Data is stolen. Systems are locked down. PR teams scramble.

5️⃣ Fire the CISO. Declare Victory.
CEOs and CFOs pretend they had no idea security was underfunded.
They blame the CISO for “failing to prevent the attack.”
They fire them. Hire a new one.
Repeat.

The executives stay. The bonuses get paid. The cycle continues.

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THE REALITY: CISOs AREN’T FAILING—THEY’RE BEING SET UP TO FAIL

Security is war. But the CISO is forced to fight blindfolded and unarmed.

🔹 No budget for proactive defenses—but unlimited funds for “brand damage control” after a breach.
🔹 No authority to enforce security policies—but full accountability when things go wrong.
🔹 No respect from the boardroom—until they need someone to blame.

And the worst part?
Executives don’t care.
To them, security is an expense, not a necessity.

They don’t see the ransomware costs.
They don’t see the legal nightmares.
They don’t see the long-term damage of compromised customer trust.

All they see is the next quarter’s numbers.

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THE FIX: STOP HIRING SCAPEGOATS—START FUNDING SECURITY

🚨 Stop making CISOs responsible for security without giving them real power.
🚨 Hold the C-suite accountable for ignoring security risks.
🚨 Fund security like it actually matters—because it does.
🚨 Understand that security is not a department. It’s a culture.

If companies keep playing this game, attackers will keep winning.

And if you’re a CISO reading this, know this truth:
If your company isn’t taking security seriously, they will blame you when it all burns down.

Don’t be their shield. Be their wake-up call.

DeadSwitch out.