Cybersecurity Is Now Top Priority For Boards Of Directors

Cybersecurity is no longer just the purview of chief information officers or IT departments. Risk management plans and cyber attack response plans have increasingly been on the agendas of boards of directors over the last several years as data breaches and cyber attacks grow in size and disruptiveness. Only recently, the UK's National Health Service had its computer system held hostage by a ransomware attack. It was notable for the disruption it caused, but banks, credit unions, small businesses, corporations, and even government agencies are all targets of cybercrime and boards of directors need to be prepared, both to prevent attacks and to respond when and if one is successful.

Not only are directors now tasked with risk management strategies and contingency plans in the event of a cyber attack on their organization, but they must also contend with the reality that as directors, they themselves are a major vulnerability in their organization's data security. With access to high-level documents and financial reports, a director's tablet or email is one of the most valuable targets a cybercriminal can set their sights on. When boards made the switch to paperless, many did so without taking into account cybersecurity. As far as security goes, email is inherently flawed, as an easily hacked and intercepted technology, while free file sharing services, like Google Documents or Dropbox, also lack the protections offered by better technology alternatives.

One fast and reliable way to answer cybersecurity concerns for the board itself is with a board of directors portal, a software that combines the convenience of digital distribution of board materials with superior security and defense against data breaches. The migration of sensitive and confidential data to digital formats was always a risky one; paper data breaches were always a concern when documents were lost or unproperly disposed of, but digital formats are open to cybercriminals around the world without adequate protection.

When it comes to board portals, in the past, better security may have demanded a higher price tag, but companies like Aprio have changed that in recent years. While logging in remains as simple and straightforward as it is with any account, their board of directors portal meets some of the most rigorous requirements for security, including ISO 2700. When you use the board of directors portal from Aprio, your data is also hosted in data centre facilities in the home country of your organization, protecting your data from falling under foreign legislation.

A board of directors portal allows administrators to send board documents like financial reports, meeting agendas, minutes, and strategic document to directors all through the platform. Because it can be used both online and offline, documents never need to be loaded directly to a device, and a remote wipe option means that physical loss of a device is not a security threat. Those interested in learning more about how a board of directors portal can help protect their organization's data from being compromised should check out Aprio.net for further information. A combination of technology and training may be necessary to fool-proof data distributed at the highest level of your organization. Without proper training, directors often don't feel as though they are personally responsible for keeping data safe. But as has been seen time and time again, often the weakest link in a cybersecurity plan is human. Make sure that directors on your organization's board not only take their own role in cybersecurity seriously, but have the tools to keep data safe.