ROI is a business metric that compares the value gained from a security program with the money spent on it. In cyber security, it helps decide whether a control, tool, or process is worth funding. A positive ROI does not always mean direct profit; it can also mean lower expected loss, reduced downtime, faster recovery, or better compliance with risk requirements.
In OT and other critical environments, ROI is often tied to resilience. Security teams may show value through fewer outages, safer remote access, better segmentation, improved asset visibility, and shorter restoration time after an incident. Attackers benefit when organizations cannot justify or prioritize defenses, so ROI thinking helps defenders focus spending on controls that reduce real operational risk. Used well, ROI connects technical security work to business outcomes that executives can measure and compare.