This article is part of BLG’s 12-part series: 12 Strategic Priorities for Privacy, Cybersecurity, and AI Risk Management. The series explores key areas where management and boards must collaborate to protect enterprise value in an increasingly complex risk environment.
Cybersecurity can no longer exist in a silo. It is a strategic enterprise risk that must be embedded into the board’s agenda, and integrated into overall risk governance. Increasingly, chief information security officers (CISOs) are raising alarms not just about threats, but about organizational misalignment — between cyber planning and enterprise risk, continuity strategies, and crisis response.
Why it matters
Many boards still see cybersecurity as a technical issue or an IT responsibility. But cyberattacks now have direct implications for operational continuity, investor confidence, and brand reputation. Ransomware can halt operations. Data breaches can trigger class actions. In short, cyber threats are business threats.
Boards that treat cybersecurity as a governance priority — and that demand alignment across leadership functions — are better positioned to weather disruptions and maintain stakeholder trust.
What management and boards must prioritize
- Integration of cyber risk into enterprise risk management (ERM)
Cyber must be part of the broader risk conversation. Boards need to see how it ranks among other risks, and how it is being managed across the organization. - Ransomware in continuity planning
Business continuity and disaster recovery plans must reflect ransomware as a distinct threat vector. Plans should address operational shutdowns, data restoration, and communication strategies. - Crisis playbook that includes legal, PR, and ops
A well-coordinated response requires cross-functional collaboration. Boards should ask whether legal, communications, and operations leaders have practised a breach scenario together — and whether the plan is regularly refreshed. - Clarity on CISO reporting and authority
Boards should understand to whom the CISO reports, how empowered they are to escalate concerns, and whether their voice carries the necessary weight in executive discussions.
Final thoughts
Strong board engagement on cyber risk is not just good governance — it is a competitive advantage. In a volatile risk environment, alignment between the CISO, executive team, and board is essential for confident decision-making.
