If the past few years have taught Bermuda anything, it’s that cyber threats are now part of everyday business life. Ransomware made headlines. Phishing attempts continued apace. Supply-chain compromises caught organisations off guard.

And with the Personal Information Protection Act now fully enforceable, there is a realisation across the island that cybersecurity is no longer something left to the information technology department — it has become a core governance issue.

In 2026 the conversation is shifting. It’s no longer just about preventing attacks. It’s about building resilience: the ability to keep operating when something goes wrong, responding quickly and recover with minimal disruption. This shift is happening worldwide and Bermuda is very much a part of it.

Yet many local organisations, especially small and mid-sized businesses, still struggle to know what “good” actually looks like.

What does strong governance mean in practice? Which controls matter most? How can boards feel confident that systems, people and suppliers are operating safely? And perhaps most importantly: how do you show due care without getting buried in technical jargon or expensive, heavyweight frameworks?

This is where structured cybersecurity standards come in, not as a marketing tool but as a road map that brings clarity.

Many businesses take a scattershot approach to cyber-risk: a policy here, some training there, a firewall upgrade when budgets allow. That may have worked years ago but it won’t carry companies through 2026.

Modern cyber resilience requires three essentials:

• Clear governance — who is responsible? How is risk understood? How are decisions made?

• Defined controls — not guesswork, but repeatable practices and expectations.

• Evidence — something concrete to show regulators, clients, insurers and board members.

Structured frameworks pull all of this together by turning a complex topic into a manageable set of requirements. Globally, many organisations — especially those without large security teams — are adopting practical, proportionate standards.

The UK has frameworks which are gaining traction because they balance clarity with accessibility. They don’t reinvent cybersecurity; they highlight the essentials in a way smaller organisations can realistically use.

For Bermuda, that balance is particularly valuable.

Take governance — the heart of Pipa and a major focus of the Bermuda Monetary Authority’s cybersecurity guidance.

Good governance does not mean endless paperwork. It means:

• Knowing what systems you use

• Understanding how they connect

• Identifying who has access

• Making sure someone is clearly accountable for keeping things secure.

There are frameworks — certificates — that help organisations to map out their assets, users and technical set-up. They reinforce basic but often overlooked controls such as strong authentication, regular patching and secure back-ups. None of these are advanced but done consistently, they stop most common attacks.

Some frameworks take it a step further, asking about risk management, continuity planning, supplier oversight and policy structure. These are the areas where many Bermudian organisations need the most guidance, not for lack of effort, but because they have not had a clear model to follow.

The goal is not certification for its own sake. It’s having a structure that replaces the patchwork of tools, habits and inherited systems many companies rely on.

One of the biggest lessons the world keeps learning is that cyber resilience does not stop at your own network. It depends on the companies you rely on, such as software vendors, service providers, cloud platforms and outsourced teams.

In 2026, supply chain risk will remain one of the most pressing issues for Bermuda businesses. Even if your own organisation invests heavily in security, a single vulnerable supplier can undo that work. This is why modern frameworks, including Information Assurance for Small and Medium Enterprises (IASME) Cyber Assurance, put greater emphasis on third-party oversight.

It’s not about distrusting partners; it’s about recognising how interconnected today’s businesses are. Standards help organisations ask the right questions and ask them consistently.

Boards, regulators, customers and insurers are raising expectations, not looking for perfection, but for clear evidence that cyber-risk is being managed responsibly.

For many small and mid-sized organisations, this can feel overwhelming. But that’s exactly why proportionate standards exist; to translate best practice into something achievable and measurable.

A clear structure always beats improvisation.

Cyber threats won’t ease up in 2026 but Bermuda can absolutely strengthen its collective resilience.

Businesses do not need massive budgets or enterprise-scale security teams to get there. They need structure, consistency and a road map suited to their size and risk profile.

Cyber resilience is not built by technology alone. It is built through habits, leadership and clear standards that bring order to the chaos.

If Bermuda embraces that shift in 2026, the island’s businesses will be stronger, safer and far better prepared for whatever the digital world brings next.

• Louise Ralston is chief operating officer of Cyber Tec Security, a cybersecurity specialist business providing cyber certification-led resilience and adherence to regulatory compliance