• Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
  • Products
    PRODUCTS
    • Security Ratings
      Identify security strengths across ten risk factors.
    • Security Data
      Get actionable, data-based insights.
    • Security Assessments
      Automate security questionnaire exchange.
    • Attack Surface Intelligence
      NEW
      On-demand contextualized global threat intelligence.
    • Automatic Vendor Detection
      Uncover your third and fourth party vendors.
    • Cyber Risk Quantification
      Translate cyber risk into financial impact.
    • Reporting Center
      Streamline cyber risk reporting.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Discover and deploy pre-built integrations.
    SERVICES
    • Active Security Services
      Test your security controls.
    • Cyber Risk Intelligence
      Partner to obtain meaningful threat intelligence.
    • Digital Forensics & Incident Response
      Prepare to respond to any threat.
    • Third-Party Risk Management
      Reduce risk across your vendor ecosystem.
    BUY NOW
    • Compare All Plans
      Choose a plan that's right for your business.
    • Try Free Account
      Make informed decisions with confidence.
    • Buy Pro Now
      Add automated event responses.
    • Buy Business Now
      Expand on Pro with vendor management and integrations.
    • Request Enterprise Demo
      See the capabilities of an enterprise plan in action.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Solutions
    BY USE CASE
    • Compliance
    • Cyber Insurance
    • Digital Forensics
    • Due Diligence
    • Enterprise Cyber Risk
    • Executive-Level Reporting
    • Incident Response
    • Regulatory Oversight
    • Third-Party Risk
    BY INDUSTRY
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Financial Services
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance
    • Retail & Consumer
    • Technology
    Help your organization calculate its risk
    View All Solutions
  • Customers
    OUR CUSTOMERS
    • Customer Overview
      Trusted by companies of all industries and sizes.
    • Peer Reviews
      Find out what our customers are saying.
    SUCCESS AND SUPPORT
    • Customer Success
      Receive award-winning customer service.
    • Support
      Get your questions answered by our experts.
    COMMUNITY
    • SecurityScorecard Connect
      Engage in fun, educational, and rewarding activities.
    • Connect Login
      Join our exclusive online customer community.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark
    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.
    Free account sign up
  • Partners

    Partner Program Overview

    Partner with SecurityScorecard and leverage our global cybersecurity ratings leadership to expand your solution, deliver more value, and win new business.

    Learn more
    • Locate a Partner
      Access our industry-leading partner network.
    • Value-Added Resellers
      Enter new markets, deliver more value, and get rewarded.
    • Managed Service Providers
      Meet customer needs with cybersecurity ratings.
    • ISAC Partner Program
      Learn more about the industries we support and ISAC member benefits.
    • Technology Alliances
      Access innovative solutions from leading providers.
    • SCORE Portal Login
      Use the SCORE Partner Program to grow your business.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Find a trusted solution that extends your SecurityScorecard experience.

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Resources
    RESOURCES
    • Resource Center
      Explore our cybersecurity ebooks, data sheets, webinars, and more.
    • SecurityScorecard Blog
      Read the latest blog posts published weekly.
    • Research & Insights Center
      Access our research on the latest industry trends and sector developments.
    • SecurityScorecard Academy
      NEW
      Complete certification courses and earn industry-recognized badges.
    TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION
    • Free Security Rating
      Get your free ratings report with customized security score.
    • Product Release Notes
      Visit our support portal for the latest release notes.
    • Free Account Signup
      Start monitoring your cybersecurity posture today.
    • Chrome Extension
      NEW
      Show the security rating of websites you visit.
    • Assessments ROI Calculator
      Calculate the ROI of automating questionnaires.
    Trust begins with transparency. Take a look at the data that drives our ratings.
    Learn more
  • Company

    Working at SecurityScorecard

    Committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and collaboration–and having fun while doing it.

    Join our team
    • About Us
      SecurityScorecard is the global leader in cybersecurity ratings.
    • Leadership
      Meet the team that is making the world a safer place.
    • Press
      Explore our most recent press releases and coverage.
    • Events
      Join us at any of these upcoming industry events.
    • Policy Insights
      Raising the bar on cybersecurity with security ratings.
    • Careers
      APPLY TODAY
      Come join the SecurityScorecard team!
    • Contact Us
      Contact us with any questions, concerns, or thoughts.
    • Trust Portal
      Take an inside look at the data that drives our technology.
    • Help Center
      We are here to help with any questions or difficulties.
Request a demo
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
  • Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Support
  • Login
  • Contact
  • Blog
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
  • Products
    PRODUCTS
    • Security Ratings
      Identify security strengths across ten risk factors.
    • Security Data
      Get actionable, data-based insights.
    • Security Assessments
      Automate security questionnaire exchange.
    • Attack Surface Intelligence
      NEW
      On-demand contextualized global threat intelligence.
    • Automatic Vendor Detection
      Uncover your third and fourth party vendors.
    • Cyber Risk Quantification
      Translate cyber risk into financial impact.
    • Reporting Center
      Streamline cyber risk reporting.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Discover and deploy pre-built integrations.
    SERVICES
    • Active Security Services
      Test your security controls.
    • Cyber Risk Intelligence
      Partner to obtain meaningful threat intelligence.
    • Digital Forensics & Incident Response
      Prepare to respond to any threat.
    • Third-Party Risk Management
      Reduce risk across your vendor ecosystem.
    BUY NOW
    • Compare All Plans
      Choose a plan that's right for your business.
    • Try Free Account
      Make informed decisions with confidence.
    • Buy Pro Now
      Add automated event responses.
    • Buy Business Now
      Expand on Pro with vendor management and integrations.
    • Request Enterprise Demo
      See the capabilities of an enterprise plan in action.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Solutions
    BY USE CASE
    • Compliance
    • Cyber Insurance
    • Digital Forensics
    • Due Diligence
    • Enterprise Cyber Risk
    • Executive-Level Reporting
    • Incident Response
    • Regulatory Oversight
    • Third-Party Risk
    BY INDUSTRY
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Financial Services
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance
    • Retail & Consumer
    • Technology
    Help your organization calculate its risk
    View All Solutions
  • Customers
    OUR CUSTOMERS
    • Customer Overview
      Trusted by companies of all industries and sizes.
    • Peer Reviews
      Find out what our customers are saying.
    SUCCESS AND SUPPORT
    • Customer Success
      Receive award-winning customer service.
    • Support
      Get your questions answered by our experts.
    COMMUNITY
    • SecurityScorecard Connect
      Engage in fun, educational, and rewarding activities.
    • Connect Login
      Join our exclusive online customer community.
    icon__SSClogoMark icon__SSClogoMark
    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.
    Free account sign up
  • Partners

    Partner Program Overview

    Partner with SecurityScorecard and leverage our global cybersecurity ratings leadership to expand your solution, deliver more value, and win new business.

    Learn more
    • Locate a Partner
      Access our industry-leading partner network.
    • Value-Added Resellers
      Enter new markets, deliver more value, and get rewarded.
    • Managed Service Providers
      Meet customer needs with cybersecurity ratings.
    • ISAC Partner Program
      Learn more about the industries we support and ISAC member benefits.
    • Technology Alliances
      Access innovative solutions from leading providers.
    • SCORE Portal Login
      Use the SCORE Partner Program to grow your business.
    • SecurityScorecard Marketplace
      Find a trusted solution that extends your SecurityScorecard experience.

    Understand and reduce risk with SecurityScorecard.

    Free account sign up
  • Resources
    RESOURCES
    • Resource Center
      Explore our cybersecurity ebooks, data sheets, webinars, and more.
    • SecurityScorecard Blog
      Read the latest blog posts published weekly.
    • Research & Insights Center
      Access our research on the latest industry trends and sector developments.
    • SecurityScorecard Academy
      NEW
      Complete certification courses and earn industry-recognized badges.
    TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION
    • Free Security Rating
      Get your free ratings report with customized security score.
    • Product Release Notes
      Visit our support portal for the latest release notes.
    • Free Account Signup
      Start monitoring your cybersecurity posture today.
    • Chrome Extension
      NEW
      Show the security rating of websites you visit.
    • Assessments ROI Calculator
      Calculate the ROI of automating questionnaires.
    Trust begins with transparency. Take a look at the data that drives our ratings.
    Learn more
  • Company

    Working at SecurityScorecard

    Committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and collaboration–and having fun while doing it.

    Join our team
    • About Us
      SecurityScorecard is the global leader in cybersecurity ratings.
    • Leadership
      Meet the team that is making the world a safer place.
    • Press
      Explore our most recent press releases and coverage.
    • Events
      Join us at any of these upcoming industry events.
    • Policy Insights
      Raising the bar on cybersecurity with security ratings.
    • Careers
      APPLY TODAY
      Come join the SecurityScorecard team!
    • Contact Us
      Contact us with any questions, concerns, or thoughts.
    • Trust Portal
      Take an inside look at the data that drives our technology.
    • Help Center
      We are here to help with any questions or difficulties.
Request a demo
SecurityScorecard SecurityScorecard
BLOG

A CISO’s Guide to Communicating with the Board

Private: Michelle Wu
05/19/2017

Communicating with the Board of Directors can be one of the most difficult tasks that a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is responsible for. Whether it’s because of differing priorities, a lack of clear information, or simple indifference, a CISO can have trouble getting the Board on the same page if he or she is not properly prepared.

Use these suggestions at your next board meeting to increase collaboration and make your reporting more effective:

Summarize progress and accomplishments

Like it or not, as a CISO, you must continually prove your worth to the company. Part of this is reassuring the Board that you are effectively managing the cybersecurity program. This can be done in many ways:

  • Create a list of current and finished projects since the last meeting and explain how they have positively impacted the company
  • Summarize spending on the security program, with an emphasis on the return that will be obtained from these investments
  • Quantify how the company is more secure now than in the previous meeting (e.g. vulnerabilities closed, incidents resolved, fewer alerts generated, etc.)
  • Discuss future security projects which will further improve the company’s security posture

Remember to represent these accomplishments in terms of value added, money saved, threats averted, and so on, instead of simply showing a list of remediated vulnerabilities. An explanation of “Project X avoided $5 million in losses” is more effective than “Project X implemented HTTPS encryption on production data,” since the Board won’t understand the implications of that technically-explained risk.

The main takeaway here: it is important to keep your discussions brief and at a high-level, because you don’t want to lose board members’ interest with technical details. Have a small packet available with more in-depth information on each project in case they want to review it further.

Speak the same language as the Board

It’s important to keep your boards interest as you communicate progress and accomplishments, and you should extend that lesson to all your communications to the Board.

You already know that the Board of Directors is mainly concerned about the company’s growth, reputation, and financial health. This can create a communication rift with them since a CISO’s top problems and priorities are often not focused on these areas – after all, in their eyes, your company isn’t technically losing money by using a Windows Server 2003 environment, or not encrypting customer data, so why is this really an issue? Security professionals understand the importance of these issues, so take that understanding and translate it into terms that can be easily understood by the Board.

The easiest way to do this is to express your priorities in terms of financial or reputation impact. If you don’t get funding to upgrade your Server 2003 infrastructure, what is the likelihood that a vulnerability in that OS will lead to a data breach? If a breach happens, what will that cost the company in money, reputation, and lost trust? Will you lose your entire customer database worth $10 million, or will you suffer negative PR in the media? These are repercussions that will be clearly understood by the Board.

You can also spin your projects into money-making opportunities instead of representing them as costs that must be paid. For example, if you had enough budget to lock down your systems and achieve ISO:27001 compliance, that may convey to some of your prospective clients that your company is a secure place for their data- which could be the difference between you or one of your competitors winning that contract.

Build a risk heat map

Board meetings aren’t all about asking for more budget: You also have to communicate the current state of your organization’s security risks so that the Board is properly informed. Instead of a 20-page technical document with IP addresses, system names, and something about an OWASP Top 10, give your Board an easily-digestible summary in the form a heat map.

Heat Map
  • Step 1: Draw out a matrix as pictured above, with “likelihood” and “impact” axes.
  • Step 2: Put your top 5/10/20 security risks to easily represent the severity of each issue.
  • Step 3: Have a key under the graph with your risk items labeled and numbered for the Board to reference if they want additional information.

This format helps board members have an easy, high-level understanding of your security posture, and helps you highlight particular areas of concern that may require additional resources from the Board.

Benchmark your company against peers and competitors

One of the biggest motivators to a Board of Directors is knowing that an area of the company is lagging behind your competitors. Whether it’s financial growth, operational processes, or level of customer service, the need to be better than the competition can motivate your Board to move mountains. Capitalize on this by representing your company’s security posture as it compares to peers and competitors in your industry.

How are you supposed to know what your competition’s security is like? One of the easiest ways is to use an independent security rating company (like SecurityScorecard) to get an unbiased look at how you stack up against your competitors.

Benchmark

You can quantify the data you find in a number of ways:

  • Percentage of service uptime
  • Number of data breaches
  • Financial loss due to security incidents
  • Security program spending
  • Industry certifications held, and more

This can be a win-win situation whether you’re beating the competition or not: If you’re behind, the Board will be motivated to catch up, or if you’re ahead, explain how continued investment in the security program will help you maintain that edge.

With a new company in the news headlines seemingly every day for security breaches, board members are taking a closer look than ever at their company’s data protection. Ultimately, they want to be assured that security directors aren’t sitting around idly, waiting for an incident to happen before making improvements to their systems. Implementing the strategies above will give your board visibility and allow you to demonstrate to the Board how you and your teams are being proactive in protecting the organization from attackers.

Return to Blog
Join us in making the world a safer place.
FREE ACCOUNT SIGN UP
Products
Solutions
Customers
Marketplace
Partners
Resources
Company
Trust Portal
Security Ratings
Login
Blog
Contact
Careers

SecurityScorecard
Tower 49
12 E 49th St
Suite 15-100
New York, NY 10017

[email protected]

United States: (800) 682-1701
International: +1(646) 809-2166
Social-linkedin Social-facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube