Why Has Cybersecurity Become a Luxury Good?
Because the industry built it for enterprises first. Gaurav opened the episode with the point.
"Cybersecurity has become a luxury good. It is something that big, rich enterprises can afford and small, poor companies cannot. And that just doesn't sit right with me."
Gaurav Keerthi, CEO and co-founder of StrongKeep, on Security Cocktail Hour
The episode covers why the enterprise-first model leaves organisations without dedicated security teams exposed, and why sending suppliers security questionnaires does not fix the underlying problem.
Who Is StrongKeep Really Competing With?
Not another vendor. Most small companies have no protection in place at all, so the real alternative to StrongKeep is doing nothing and hoping for the best.
"My biggest competitor is not another company or another product, it's hopes and prayers."
Gaurav Keerthi on Security Cocktail Hour
What Does a Usable Baseline Look Like?
Proportionate, and achievable now. Gaurav and the hosts talk through the limits of handing an IT generalist security as a second job, why a smaller supplier can become an enterprise's real point of exposure, and the four basic ways a computer gets compromised. They also discuss how regulation and customer pressure may push security expectations down the supply chain. The conclusion is that something proportionate in place today beats a perfect plan that never arrives.
Where Can I Listen to the Full Episode?
The episode runs just under 47 minutes. It is on the Security Cocktail Hour website, with a full transcript, and on YouTube.
- Why Most Companies Can't Afford Cybersecurity, Security Cocktail Hour, 21 July 2026
- Full episode transcript, on the Security Cocktail Hour website
Related Reading
- Why do the smallest businesses get the least cybersecurity?, Gaurav in CRN Asia on cyber inequity.
- Why is cybersecurity still a luxury for small businesses?, Gaurav on Code Riff.
- Should cybersecurity be treated as a public good?, Gaurav on DBS's Kopi Time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who hosts Security Cocktail Hour?
Joe Patti and Adam Roth. Episode 81, Why Most Companies Can't Afford Cybersecurity, features StrongKeep CEO Gaurav Keerthi and was published on 21 July 2026. It runs just under 47 minutes.
Why can't most companies afford cybersecurity?
Because most security products were designed for large enterprises, with dedicated teams and budgets to match. Companies without a security team face the same attackers but cannot afford, or run, a stack of specialist tools, so many end up with no protection at all.
What does proportionate protection mean for a small business?
Covering the basics now. Protect every device, block malicious links and downloads, use strong and unique passwords, and train staff to spot phishing. A proportionate baseline in place today does more than a complete plan that never gets started.
What Does StrongKeep Do?
StrongKeep is a self-serve cybersecurity platform for small and medium businesses. It bundles endpoint protection, phishing and malicious-link filtering, credential management, staff awareness training and phishing simulations, all run by the business itself from one dashboard. Compliance tooling is available on higher plans. StrongKeep holds the CSA Cyber Essentials Mark. Built for teams without an IT department. Plans are on the pricing page.
