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The Verisure breach and third-party risk: 8 lessons for executive leadership teams

  • Writer: Cyber Instincts AB
    Cyber Instincts AB
  • Oct 20
  • 4 min read

When a company that markets security and peace of mind becomes the victim of a cyberattack, the alarm bells ring for everyone. In October 2025, Verisure confirmed a cyber incident involving its Swedish unit Alert Alarm. The attack was traced not to Verisure’s main systems, but to a billing system operated by an external partner. Around 35,000 current and former customers were impacted, with personal data (names, addresses, email addresses, and social security numbers) exposed.


This is not just another data breach. It’s a wake-up call for all organisations with connected ecosystems: If even Verisure can be breached, what does that mean for you?


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Third-party dependencies are the invisible attack surface

The breach at Verisure didn’t stem from its core alarm platform—it came via a third-party billing partner. This illustrates a critical point: your extended ecosystem (vendors, subcontractors, integration partners) is now part of your security perimeter. Executive leadership must treat third-party dependencies with the same rigor as internal systems.



The human factor still matters in a high-tech world

While the breach appears to have been initiated via an external system, the underlying risk is often cultural and procedural. The guidance from national bodies like Sweden’s Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap (MSB) emphasises that people, process and governance are as important as technical safeguards. MarketScreener


Connected devices mean connected vulnerabilities

From alarms and sensors to remote monitoring platforms, IoT and OT systems multiply your attack vectors. The European cybersecurity authority ENISA warns that many connected devices lack basic safeguards such as secure updates, encryption and identity verification. CGTN News Leaders must recognise that securing devices is only the beginning—securing the entire lifecycle is imperative.


 Extortion is the new normal in cyber-crime

Increasingly, attackers aim not to shut down operations, but to extract data and then extort companies—sometimes demanding payment not just for unlocking systems, but for not publishing stolen information. According to the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025, a majority of recent cyber-incidents include extortion as a central motive. conflingo.com Your incident response must therefore plan for both operational disruption and reputational risk.


Crisis communication is a security asset

When Verisure went public with the breach, it separated its messaging clearly: the incident involved a partner billing system and did not impact its main network. This type of clarity matters. In the age of social media and fast news cycles, delay or ambiguity can cost you trust and valuation.


“Zero Trust” is not just an IT term—it’s a leadership philosophy

Zero Trust means never assuming implicit trust—not in users, not in systems, not in vendors. But putting it into practice is less about deploying technology and more about aligning governance, roles and decision-rights across the business. Executive leadership needs to own Zero Trust, not delegate it to IT.


Move from reactive to resilient

Too many organisations respond after a breach. The real differentiator is building resilience before incident. That means simulation exercises, separation of duties, clear crisis governance and the ability to isolate systems without halting the business. Brexit-style readiness for cyber-events is now a business imperative.


 Leadership in uncertainty demands digital risk fluency

For years, boardrooms discussed operational, financial and reputational risk. It’s time to add digital risk—including supplier risk, IoT risk, regulatory risk, extortion risk—with the same seriousness. Verisure’s example shows that no sector is immune. The question isn’t if you’ll be targeted—it’s how prepared you are when it happens.


Final thought

If even Verisure—a company whose core promise is security—can be breached, what does that say about the rest of us? We live in an interconnected world where everything is linked. It’s time we ensure our security mindset is just as interconnected.


Sources and further reading


Would you like to review how well your organisation maps third-party dependencies or secures its IoT/OT environment? Use the eight lessons above as a starting point—and when you’re ready, we’re here to help you conduct a targeted readiness review.


//Cyber Instincts The list in short: 8 Lessons from the Verisure Breach

  1. Third-party dependencies are the invisible attack surface→ Your vendors and partners are part of your security perimeter.

  2. The human factor still matters→ Culture, training and governance are as critical as technology.

  3. Connected systems mean connected vulnerabilities→ IoT and OT increase exposure across the entire lifecycle.

  4. Extortion is the new normal→ Prepare for both operational disruption and data-leak blackmail.

  5. Crisis communication is a security asset→ Transparency and speed protect trust and reputation.

  6. Zero Trust is leadership, not technology→ “Never trust, always verify” starts at the governance level.

  7. Move from reactive to resilient→ Test, simulate, and build capacity before the breach happens.

  8. Leadership requires digital-risk fluency→ Boards must treat cyber and supplier risk like any other business risk

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