Turning Cybersecurity into a Boardroom Priority

Cyberattacks can have disastrous consequences for any organization, varying from financial losses and operational disruption to reputational damage. The most effective cybersecurity measures require leadership approval before they can be established. This means CISOs will need buy-in from their Boards, making cybersecurity investment a strategic priority, as opposed to just another technical issue.
The stakes are high, as the financial cost of a data breach now averages $4.88 million. While security leaders know the risk associated with cyberattacks, they’re also put in a tough position – one that sits between other key decision makers of their organization.
Too many at the Board level view cybersecurity as a cost center to minimize, rather than fully fund to effectively reduce risk. The security leader with a seat at the table needs to be equipped with the communication strategy that conveys the level of risk to operations and financial success if adequate measures are not taken.
 

Why Do Boards Struggle to Understand Cybersecurity?

Boards struggle to grasp cybersecurity because technical jargon and misaligned business focus prevents them from fully grasping the level of risk.
Cybersecurity professionals fall into the trap of using highly technical language that doesn’t translate into business terms, leaving their Boards unsure of what to do next. Terms like ‘zero-trust architecture’ or ‘threat vectors’ mean nothing without business impact context expressed in lay terms.
While board members today are more knowledgeable about threats posed by cybercriminals, there is still a knowledge gap about the nature of these threats and what can be done about them. Boards prioritize financial metrics – as organizations must do for their ROI – while cybersecurity professionals focus on technical controls, creating a strategic misalignment that needs to be overcome for a stronger cybersecurity culture.
This is further solidified by Heidrick & Struggles’ Global CISO Survey which found many CISOs reporting that Boards still struggle to fully understand the importance of cybersecurity, even when cybersecurity leaders have direct access to decision makers.
Poor communication leads to two problems: underinvestment in cybersecurity or funding irrelevant programs, and both increase risks of data breaches.
 

What Does Cybersecurity Really Mean for an Organization?

Cybersecurity means more than just firewalls and technical defenses that an organization spends money on. It protects critical parts of the business:

• People: Ensuring employees aren’t tricked by phishing, scams, or threats
• Operations: Preventing disruptions to production and services
• Customers: Making sure that their personal and financial data is kept private and secure
• Reputation: Avoiding a public fallout and long-term damage that are often impacts left from data breaches

Boards will favor financial risk management over human risk management since their focus is on keeping their business running. Cybersecurity risks should be expressed as core business risks that directly impact profit, compliance, and operational factors.
For example, instead of saying, “We need multi-factor authentication to mitigate advanced persistent threats,” one should say, “A ransomware attack could shut down operations for 3-5 weeks, costing X in lost revenue. Investing $X in awareness training prevents X% of these attacks, protecting our profit margin.”
This approach translates technical threats into concrete business impacts that Boards already understand and measure. Cybersecurity leaders also need the board to understand that their people are often the targets of a cyberattack through social engineering.
This is where the human side of cybersecurity comes in.
 

Why Boards Need to See the Human Side of Cybersecurity

Boards need to acknowledge the human side of cybersecurity as 60% of breaches involve a human element through methods such as phishing, stolen credentials, or simple mistakes.
Social engineering occurs in new, more creative ways daily, and cybercriminals are preying on human emotions to trick people. Technology alone isn’t enough to counter this, as systems can’t stop humans from clicking malicious links under emotional stress or time-sensitive pressure.
However, with CISOs steering their Boards in the right direction, investing in programs like personalized security coaching to counter cyberattacks that involve human emotions for example, can truly make a difference in security, one that provides measurable results.
 

What is Cybersecurity Awareness Training?

A regular training program that teaches employees how to recognize and avoid cyber threats like phishing emails, suspicious links, and scams, so that every person is equipped to spot and report potential attacks before they cause damage.

 
Boards can understand the human factor better this way when they see the human side of cybersecurity and will better treat it as a priority that safeguards the entire organization.
 

How CISOs Can Win Board Support for Cybersecurity

Instead of focusing on technical aspects, CISOs earn board support by connecting cyber risks to business priorities.

Communicate Clearly and Effectively

Cyberattacks can disrupt operations, lose customers’ trust, and harm employees. By drawing the board’s attention to the full cyber impact chain, CISOs will show them the true cost of cyberattacks and spur them to provide the resources necessary to reduce risk.

Emphasize the Entire Cyber Impact Chain

Cyberattacks can disrupt operations, lose customers’ trust, and harm employees. By drawing the board’s attention to the full cyber impact chain, CISOs will show them the true cost of cyberattacks and spur them to provide the resources necessary to reduce risk.

Focus on Human-Oriented Cybersecurity

Because social engineering is an essential element of most successful cyberattacks, CISOs need to show Boards how cybersecurity awareness training can help employees resist cybercriminals’ efforts to deceive and manipulate them. This means keeping employees engaged with entertaining and relevant content, personalizing CSAT to account for different behavioral profiles and learning styles, and updating training to keep pace with emerging cybercriminal tactics.

Embrace Accountability

Boards are more likely to maintain their support for cybersecurity initiatives like cybersecurity awareness training if they know employees are actually capable of keeping the organization safe. To demonstrate commitment to accountability, CISOs can highlight evaluations like simulated phishing metrics and reduced dwell time.

Build Sustainable Support

Cybersecurity awareness training has to secure long-term behavioral change and establish a culture of good habits across an organization. This means consistently educating employees about the latest cybercriminal tactics, reinforcing what they learn, and continually assessing the state of their knowledge – as well as the entire group’s potential weaknesses.
 

Closing the Gap Between CISOs and Boards

Given the position that CISOs are in, they have the ability to transform the employees of an organization into a powerful human defense system, and it starts with getting their Boards to understand how it works and the impacts that cyberattacks can cause.
Get a demo today to see how NINJIO’s cybersecurity awareness training can turn your employees into your strongest defense.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can CISOs explain cybersecurity risks to Boards in a way they understand?

A: CISOs can focus on translating technical threats into business impact, showing how cyberattacks can affect operations, revenue, customer trust, and reputation. Using real-world examples, visualizations, and plain language helps Boards make informed decisions.

Q: Why is employee-focused cybersecurity awareness training so important?

A: Nearly 60% of breaches involve a human element. Training programs that are engaging, tailored to emotional susceptibilities, and regularly updated help employees recognize phishing, social engineering, and other threats, turning them into a strong first line of defense.

Q: How can Boards measure the effectiveness of cybersecurity initiatives?

A: Boards can look at metrics like phishing simulation results, incident reporting frequency, and improvements in employee behavior. Demonstrating measurable outcomes gives confidence that cybersecurity investments are producing tangible results..

Q: What role should Boards play in supporting long-term cybersecurity programs?

A: Boards should ensure consistent investment, encourage a culture of accountability, and support ongoing employee training. This long-term approach helps embed cybersecurity into organizational culture rather than treating it as a one-time initiative.
 

About NINJIO

NINJIO reduces human-based cybersecurity risk through engaging training, personalized testing, and insightful reporting. Our multi-pronged approach to training focuses on the latest attack vectors to build employee knowledge and the behavioral science behind human engineering to sharpen users’ intuition. The proprietary NINJIO Risk Algorithm™ identifies users’ social engineering vulnerabilities based on NINJIO Phish3D phishing simulation data and informs content delivery to provide a personalized experience that changes individual behavior.