The impact of cybersecurity on the reliability of digital financial reports and its reflection on the timing of financial report releases

Abstract

With the shift towards digital financial reporting via information systems and electronic platforms, these reports have become increasingly vulnerable to hacking and manipulation, posing significant challenges to data analysis due to the sheer volume, diversity, and speed of data release. This directly reflects the demands of the digital revolution. Therefore, our research aims to study the impact of cybersecurity on the reliability of digital financial reports and its effect on the timeliness of their release. This was achieved through an analytical approach based on a questionnaire distributed to a random sample of university professors, accountants, auditors, and financial managers in the second quarter of 2025, yielding 90 respondents. The hypotheses were tested using the SPSS statistical software. The results showed a direct correlation between the level of cybersecurity and the timeliness of financial report release. Furthermore, cybersecurity proved to be a crucial element in enhancing reliability, contributing to increased accuracy and transparency while minimizing opportunities for manipulation or hacking. Conversely, weak cybersecurity infrastructure leads to delays in financial reporting and undermines investor and stakeholder confidence. Therefore, robust security systems contribute to ensuring the timely release of financial reports by minimizing disruptions caused by attacks or data loss. Accordingly, researchers recommend training personnel in cybersecurity threat mitigation techniques, given their direct impact on the quality and reliability of financial reports.