Effective communication between board members is crucial to ensure that directors are well informed, engaged and able to make sound decisions about the success of a business. Boards are faced with the task of finding a balance between the need to communicate well and the need to secure sensitive information and avoid cyberattacks.
Boards should utilize secure collaboration tools, such as board portals and messaging platforms in real-time, to ensure that discussions confidential documents, sensitive discussions and other data secure. This is becoming a priority as more businesses are impacted by hacks and breaches and regulators adopt new security standards.
Security experts agree that it is not a matter of “if” an organization will experience data breaches however, it is more about “when.” A successful cybersecurity framework requires a strong board relationship with the chief information security officer (CISO). CISOs should seize every opportunity to share their plans and vision with the board. This will allow them gain board support to provide an effective response to cyberattacks.
Many board members and governance professionals rely on personal emails to send internal communications regarding governance especially during virtual meetings. This puts organizations at risk of being targeted by phishing attacks as well as other cyberattacks targeting high-profile people such as directors, C-level executives, and other high-ranking management personnel.
It is important to train your board members about the importance of cybersecurity. This should include a brief review of the types of information they share through insecure channels, including meeting minutes, as well as informal communication. It is also crucial to utilize secure document sharing platforms that provides encryption as well access controls to stop documents from being copied or downloaded from other individuals.