Tariffs are not directly targeting cybersecurity, but they are making it harder for companies to plan, spend, and protect themselves. The ripple effects significantly impact IT budgets, especially when core components like firewalls, servers, and switches get caught in trade crossfire. Still, one thing is clear: cybersecurity cannot be the investment that gets delayed, even if everything else is.

We are seeing companies put major deals on hold because of tariff uncertainty. Projects from $2 million to $250 million are being paused while waiting for clarity on how to proceed. But cybersecurity is not something you can afford to hit pause on. Cyber threats are not slowing down, and companies that fall behind risk much more than budget overruns—they risk breaches, ransomware, and reputational damage.

Finance teams are being pushed to take a more cautious approach because long-term vendor partners cannot guarantee equipment even in large deals. That instability makes budgeting nearly impossible, leading to delays across multiple IT areas. However, cybersecurity should never be one of them.

Policy shifts also continue to send shockwaves through global supply chains, and no financial model can predict how it will all play out. As a result, some companies are scrambling to buy from unfamiliar suppliers just to stay on track and up to date to the best of their ability. That is a considerable risk, and the absence of due diligence introduces cybersecurity gaps. Organizations can delay cloud migration, but they cannot delay cybersecurity. 

The stakes are particularly high as we are witnessing a significant shift in how security-sensitive industries approach their infrastructure. Finance, energy, and defense companies where reputational risk is paramount, are moving away from the cloud-first strategies of the past decade. They are bringing large language models (LLMs) in-house rather than trusting their most sensitive operations to external cloud providers' security protocols. This trend toward on-premises AI infrastructure makes flexible financing even more critical, as these investments are substantial and the technology is evolving rapidly.

The challenge is even more complex than traditional IT planning. Unlike the prior 30 years of predictable technology evolution governed by Moore's law, the advent of AI and GPUs has completely rewritten the rules. We are entering an era where artificial general intelligence (AGI) and quantum computing loom on the horizon, both requiring fundamentally different hardware and software than what companies use today. This makes ownership decisions particularly risky. Why lock into assets whose viability is uncertain when the technology landscape is shifting this rapidly?

For existing GPU architecture, advancements in cooling and efficiency are accelerating at breakneck speed, demanding nimble upgrade strategies to stay competitive. Companies need flexible lifecycle management programs with various end-of-term options, not rigid ownership commitments that could become obsolete faster than ever before.

Lenders are approaching this moment from a risk management perspective. They are not focused on what product you are buying but on helping you reduce risk and stay agile. And right now, underfunding cybersecurity is one of the most significant risks you can take. Even if rates are high, the ability to finance gives companies the breathing room to stay secure without draining their capital. When making every investment at once is not possible, prioritize accordingly. 

That is why strategic financing, like fair market value (FMV) leasing, is more critical than ever. It gives companies flexibility, such as the option to return, upgrade, or buy equipment at the end of the term. That matters when tariffs inflate costs 14-18% and vendors can’t promise future availability. These leases create consistency, allowing companies to plan and create opportunities to weigh purchases versus ongoing leasing, which is powerful in any climate, but much more so when tariffs make the cost of starting fresh at the end of a lease much less predictable. 

The truth is that cybersecurity threats are constant. Tariffs may shift, rates may change, but the risk of a breach is always there. Companies cannot afford to delay protective upgrades because the market is uncertain. Security needs to stay at the front of the line. In today’s environment, halting funding might make sense for some projects and departments. But cybersecurity is not one of them. Finance leaders know: you cannot afford to wait when the cost of delay could be catastrophic.