Cyber risk is seen as a clear and present risk, board members have to be aware of the risks their company faces in order to steer your company to the most secure course. However, this isn’t always straightforward.
Cybersecurity has always been a subject that was which was dominated by technologists who worked in remote server rooms. With the aftershocks of mega security breaches such as Equifax and Colonial Pipeline, however, it’s becoming evident that cyber risks are an obvious and current business risk that impacts every aspect of an enterprise.
In the process boards are demanding more from their security and CISOs. Board members need to understand how a well-trained security team can protect themselves against advanced threats, whether it’s by increasing spending on new solutions or ensuring that employees are educated. This message should be communicated to executives who are not technical in the boardroom.
One way to achieve this is to leverage real-time metrics and aligning security boardroom information security with business objectives. The board can be provided with the information they require to make informed decisions by providing regular reports that provide the progress of security measures, an eroding index of risk and other important metrics. Use stories instead of just passing along numbers. If you can share a true-life example of the swift actions of your team averted an enormous threat it will show your board that they are being protected and that their efforts are having an impact.