Cybersecurity: The 2023 Board Perspective

Board director views on the global threat landscape, cybersecurity priorities and CISO relations.

With the disruption caused by the pandemic now largely behind us, many in the boardroom could be forgiven for thinking the CISO would take on a less prominent role this year. But another bumper 12 months in cybersecurity quickly laid that notion to rest.

With most organizations now tasked with securing a much larger attack surface, cyber criminals are increasingly targeting our people. At the same time, ongoing tensions between Russia, Ukraine and NATO have once again brought state-sponsored threat actors to the fore.

High-profile data breaches, a rise in ransomware and disruptive attacks on the supply chain4 have also laid bare the many devastating consequences of cyber threats. With the potential damage stretching beyond revenues, the board needs a cybersecurity perspective now more than ever to safeguard company reputation, protect customers and avoid costly business disruption.

Unsurprisingly in this environment, many feel more at risk and less prepared than in past years. Overall, most board members believe their organizations are not set up to cope with an attack when—not if—it strikes.

They’re more optimistic in other areas. Most board members say they understand the threat landscape and believe their data is adequately protected. Whether this translates to an effective cybersecurity strategy is another matter.