Each year, IBM releases its Cost of a Data Breach Report, one of the most widely cited studies on the financial and operational impact of cyber incidents. The latest edition shows that while costs continue to rise — now averaging $4.88 million globally per breach, with U.S. organizations facing even higher averages — the story is about preparation and discipline. The numbers remind us that breaches are not rare, isolated events. They are part of the operating environment organizations must manage. The question isn’t if an incident will occur, but how ready your team will be when it does.