In discussions on digital resilience, cybersecurity is frequently framed as a technical discipline, the domain of firewalls, encryption protocols, endpoint monitoring and incident response playbooks. Yet the closing argument made by Dr. Alby John Varghese IAS, CEO, Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency at a recent cybersecurity conference organised by Amanha Idealabs in Chennai, points to a deeper, more structural truth: cybersecurity is not an IT function. It is a trust function. And in a world where data defines commercial credibility, this distinction is not semantic; it is strategic.
Financial losses arising from a breach, however disruptive, are typically recoverable. Systems can be restored, insurance claims settled and operations rebooted. What proves far more difficult to repair is trust, the confidence that customers, supply-chain partners and global clients place in a company’s ability to safeguard information. Once compromised, that trust enters a long, uncertain process of rebuild. Many enterprises never fully recover.
This is particularly consequential for India’s small and medium enterprises, which form the backbone of the country’s export engine. Increasingly, SMEs operate inside compliance-heavy supply chains that demand robust cybersecurity standards. Whether supplying components to multinational manufacturers, serving as outsourcing partners to global technology firms or participating in digitally integrated logistics networks, SMEs must demonstrate security maturity that matches the expectations of international clients. In such ecosystems, cyber vigilance becomes a determining factor not only for resilience but for market access.
The shift from viewing cybersecurity as infrastructure to regarding it as corporate integrity has far-reaching implications. It requires boards and senior leadership to treat cyber risk with the same seriousness as financial controls or regulatory compliance. The responsibility cannot be delegated solely to IT teams, nor can it be addressed through periodic technology upgrades. Trust is built through governance: clear accountability, transparent processes and a culture that does not tolerate shortcuts in the name of convenience.
For SMEs, the challenge is structural. Many operate with constrained budgets, lean teams and limited specialist capacity. But these constraints do not lessen expectations from clients or regulators. Instead, they reinforce the need for disciplined cyber practices, system hardening, identity management, data classification, regular audits and continuous employee training. The sophistication of the tools matters less than the consistency of their implementation.
Reputational risk now moves faster than operational risk. A single breach, even if contained, can unsettle customer relationships and raise questions about reliability. In industries where SMEs are part of globally integrated value chains, the consequences can extend beyond the affected company to the ecosystem it supports. This interdependence means that trust is not an abstract virtue but a competitive differentiator.
The broader lesson in Dr. Varghese’s observation is that cybersecurity cannot be confined to the architecture of networks. It must be embedded in the architecture of corporate behaviour. Companies that treat it as a tick-box exercise will struggle to meet the demands of an economy where digital assurance is as critical as product quality or delivery timelines. Those that recognise it as a trust-building mechanism will find themselves better positioned to engage global markets, attract discerning clients and sustain long-term growth.
In the end, cyber vigilance is less about technology and more about credibility. And credibility once damaged, is seldom repaired by software alone.
