Many boards continue to communicate with their employees via insecure communication channels. A recent report from Diligent Corporation found that 56 percent of directors use their personal email for communications with the board, and even governance professionals and C-level executives also do this. This is a significant risk that needs to be addressed.
It is crucial to get board members on board with the need for secure communication. This includes educating them on how their current practices make them vulnerable to data breaches and helping them understand what it will cost in terms of lost time, cyberattacks and compliance violations.
Boards must be aware of the fact that they are a prime targets for cyber criminals. Hackers target high-profile people like board directors and executives due to the fact that they have access to sensitive data that is valuable to them. They are therefore a prime target for ransomware attacks, where criminals threat to release sensitive data until they are paid.
To prevent this from happening, it’s crucial that the board consider adopting the governance platform that replaces email and text messaging with a fortified system of record that uses encrypted data delivery as well as a specifically designed mobile application. This will eliminate the need to share confidential or sensitive information with unsecure documents systems or email accounts that are managed by IT departments of the company and provides an independent platform that will enable boards to remain in charge during times of crisis.