Many boards continue to send confidential internal communications through unsecure channels for communication. A recent report from Diligent Corporation found that 56 percent of directors utilize their personal email accounts for communication with the board. And even C-level executives and governance professionals also use email for board communications. This is a serious issue that must be addressed.
It is crucial to get board members on board with the need for secure communication. This means educating them on how their current practices expose them to data breach and helping them understand the amount it will cost in terms of lost time, cyberattacks and compliance violations.
Boards must be aware of the fact that they are the most attractive targets for cybercriminals. Hackers often target high-profile individuals like board directors and C-level executives due to their access to sensitive information that has importance to them. They are therefore prime targets for ransomware, which is a type of malware that allows criminals to are threatening to release sensitive information unless they get paid.
To prevent this from happening, the board should look into adopting a platform for governance that replaces email and text messages with a secure record system that uses encrypted data transmission as well as a specially-designed mobile application. This eliminates the need to share confidential or valuable information in unsecure email systems or document systems that are managed by the IT teams of the company. It also provides an independent platform that allows boards to continue leading during times of crisis.
