Many boards continue to send sensitive internal communications via unsecure communication channels. Diligent Corporation released a report which found that 56 percent board members use personal emails for board communications. Even the top executives and governance professionals are also guilty of this. This is a risk that must be addressed.
It is crucial to convince board members with the need for secure communications. This involves educating them about why their current methods leave vulnerable to data breaches and helping them understand the consequences of those breaches in terms of loss of operational time, the cost of defending against cyberattacks, and concerns about compliance violations.
Cyber criminals are attracted to boards because they have access to sensitive information that is valuable to them. The hackers often target prominent individuals such as board directors or C-level executives because they have access to sensitive information that is of significance to them. They are therefore a prime target for ransomware, where criminals threat to release sensitive data unless they receive a payment.
To avoid this, the board should consider adopting a governance platform that replaces text and email messages with a securing record system that uses encrypted data transmission as well as a specially-designed mobile application. This will eliminate the need to share confidential or sensitive information in unsecure documents or email accounts which are managed by the IT departments of the organization. It also offers a separate platform that will enable boards to lead in times of crises.