Datatel Podcast Launches on Why CFOs Can’t Look Away From Cybersecurity

Financial leaders are increasingly finding that cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern it has become a strategic risk directly in the hands of the CFO. In the latest episode of the podcast series from Datatel., a leader in IVR Payments and secure payment technologies, executives take a deep dive into the rising financial stakes of cyber-risk and why finance departments must take the lead.

The episode, titled “When Risk Hits the Ledger: Why CFOs Can’t Look Away From Cybersecurity,” explores how major cyber-incidents such as ransomware attacks, vendor breaches and compliance failures now trigger serious financial consequences including frozen cash flows, regulatory fines, legal costs and reputational damage. According to recent data, the average cost of a data breach in 2024 reached US$4.45 million globally a number that heavily underscores the shift from “IT problem” to full company risk.

Key themes discussed in the podcast include:

• Financial Fallout: The true cost of a breach is often less about the technical fix and more about business disruption, legal exposure and customer trust erosion.

• CFO Accountability: When payment data is exposed, or a vendor’s vulnerability sparks a regulatory investigation, finance is often held accountable not IT.

• Vendor & Third-Party Risk: With 63% of companies reporting breaches traced to third parties, CFOs must oversee vendor security and contract risk not leave it to procurement alone.

• CFO-CISO Partnership: The most effective organizations see finance and security leaders aligning metrics, budgets and governance to protect operations and the balance sheet.

“Cybersecurity is no longer a back-office discussion,” said a Barnard Crespi, Datatel’s Co-CEO . “Today, every incident has a ledger entry, and finance leaders must sit at the table with security teams not just react after the fact.”

This episode delivers actionable insight for CFOs, controllers and finance teams concerned about how evolving cyber-threats expose business risk, hamper cash flow, and impact strategic growth. By redefining cyber-risk as a governance, operations and financial challenge, the podcast provides a roadmap for organizations that want to move from reactive firefighting to proactive resilience.

The full episode, When Risk Hits the Ledger: Why CFOs Can’t Look Away From Cybersecurity, is now available here: Listen Now

About Datatel Communications Inc

Datatel is a global provider of secure payment solutions, AI payment isolation technology, PCI-focused services, and executive advisory solutions that help organizations reduce risk, simplify compliance, and modernize payment environments with confidence.

For more than 30 years, Datatel has delivered enterprise-grade IVR Payment and transaction automation solutions designed to remove sensitive cardholder data from business environments and streamline workflows. Today, Datatel enables secure payments across voice, web, AI-driven customer interactions, and integrated software platforms while advising executive teams on payment modernization, risk reduction, and the evolving implications of AI-driven commerce.

Trusted by healthcare providers, academic institutions, government agencies, software companies, and regulated enterprises worldwide, Datatel helps organizations minimize exposure to payment data, reduce PCI scope, and align modernization initiatives across people, processes, and platforms. The result is lower operational risk, a stronger security posture, and improved efficiency.

Through structured advisory , Datatel provides leadership teams with clear visibility into their payment ecosystems identifying risk gaps, hidden vulnerabilities, operational inefficiencies, and modernization opportunities to ensure today’s decisions remain resilient as commerce evolves.

As a PCI Level 1 Service Provider and PCI SSC Associate Participating Organization, Datatel maintains the highest standards of payment security and actively contributes to advancing global compliance frameworks.

Datatel remains focused on delivering secure, scalable payment infrastructure and executive advisory services that support long-term operational resilience, responsible growth, and the future of AI enabled digital commerce.

At Datatel, we are also actively engaged in our communities. Webelieve that a society that shortchanges its youngest and most vulnerable members forfeits its own future, and as part ofthis core belief, we work as a team to support those in need and help them overcome challenges, contributing to a brighter future for all for generations to come.