Many boards still send sensitive internal governance communications via unsecure channels for communication. Diligent Corporation released a report that found that 56 percent of board members use their personal emails to communicate with the board. Even the top executives and governance professionals are also involved in this. This is a risk that must be addressed.
It’s important to get board members on board with the necessity of secure communications. This includes educating them on the reasons why their current practices make them vulnerable to data breaches and assisting them understand what it will cost in terms lost time, cyberattacks and compliance violations.
Cyber criminals are attracted to boards due to the fact that they have access to sensitive information that is valuable to them. Hackers target high-profile executives such as board directors and executives because they can access sensitive information of value to them. This makes them a good target for ransomware attacks in which criminals threaten to release sensitive information unless they get a payment.
In order to prevent this, it’s important that the board consider adopting the governance platform that replaces email and text messaging with a secure system of record, which uses encrypted data delivery as well as a specifically designed mobile application. This eliminates the necessity to share confidential or privileged information via unsecure email or document systems controlled by the IT departments of the organization. It also provides a platform that is independent which will allow boards to continue to lead during times of crises.
