So the board of your new employer asks “Is it secure?”, what now?
To start with, lets unpack what our experience tells us they really mean, and then look at the areas you need to have a good grasp of where you can talk knowledgably about the organisations position.
So, “Is it secure?” they ask indicates that they’re not interested in either a technical response or a binary answer – rather it reflects a broader concern about the organisations overall resilience, risk exposure and readiness to handle potential cyber threats. I would suggest that the underlying concerns are:
Are We Prepared for Threats? They want to understand whether the organisation’s systems, services, data and operations are adequately protected against current and emerging threats. This means that you need to know how effective standard security measures are, such as firewalls (perimeter & WAF), encryption of sensitive data, and your access controls. You should also know how you are managing critical vulnerabilities and whether they are being identified and addressed/mitigated, and finally, provide confidence that the organisation can detect and respond to breaches swiftly.
What Are the Risks? They want clarity on the specific risks to their organisation, as they will need to understand what assets (eg, customer data, staff data, financial data or intellectual property) are most at risk. The likelihood and potential impact of a cyber-attack, and how prepared the organisation is to mitigate and recover from an incident.
Are We Compliant? With the constant increase in regulatory scrutiny, the board needs assurance that the organisation complies with all the relevant legislation. Non-compliance could lead to legal penalties, reputational damage or financial losses (so make sure you understand the full picture and don’t just assume).
Can We Sustain Business Operations? Cybersecurity is not just about preventing attacks, but also about ensuring the business has sufficient resilience to operate should an incident occur. We would suggest that you need to be able to provide confidence that critical systems have been identified and can remain operational during an attack. Robust incident response plans are in place (ensure they’re up to date), and how quickly the organisation can recover from disruptions.
How Does This Impact our Reputation and Stakeholders? Cybersecurity has the ability to negatively impact the level of trust built up among customers, partners and investors. A breach can erode confidence in the brand, so you need to be able to provide reassurance that appropriate measures are in place to protect the organisations reputation.
Are We Investing Wisely? If you’re lucky enough to have a significant budget, the board will want to ensure that all investment in tools, training and resources align with the wider organisational business goals. Alongside their goals, you will also need to ensure that your own resources are being allocated effectively to address the most critical risks.
Are We Proactive or Reactive? Finally, they want confirmation that cybersecurity efforts are proactive and not reactive, by staying ahead of threats through regular updates, employee training, third-party risk assessments, and fostering a culture of cyber awareness across the organisation.
So in essence, the simple question of “Is it secure?” is shorthand for asking whether the organisation is resilient enough to withstand today’s complex threat landscape while protecting assets, reputation and stakeholders and reflects that cybersecurity is no longer just a technology issue, but also a significant operational risk if left unmanaged.
So in response to the question, the CISO must be prepared by being able to give a comprehensive, business focused response that addresses both the technical issues and operational concerns. The answer must reassure the board while highlighting key areas of focus to maintain and improve the overall security posture. Therefore we would suggest the following strategies on how to respond and our top areas to prioritise initially.
Use Language they Understand (Avoid Technical Jargon) – always frame the response in terms of business risks, impacts and outcomes. For example, instead of discussing firewall configurations, explain how systems are protected against unauthorised access to prevent data breaches which could harm customer trust or disrupt operations.
Provide Evidence – Utilise measurable metrics and proof of security effectiveness, such as compliance scores, summarised vulnerability assessments, incident response readiness and risk management reports as transparency builds trust and confidence.
Highlight Resilience – Explain how the organisation is prepared to handle worse-case scenarios, can recover quickly from incidents, and ensure continuity of operations.
Communicate Proactively – Address emerging threats and evolving risks while outlining strategies for keeping the organisation ahead of the attackers – foresight is always better received than reports on reactive measures.
Collaborate on Risk Acceptance – Engage all members of the board in discussions about acceptable levels of risk and ensure alignment between security measures and business priorities.
We would suggest from our experience that your initial focus areas should consider:
Security Posture Assessment – You should focus on evaluating the organisation’s current security posture using metrics like vulnerability scores, patch management updates, compliance levels, and incident history. Regular reporting on these metrics ensures visibility into potential weaknesses.
Data Protection Strategy – Data security is paramount. You must ensure robust measures like encryption, access controls, segmentation, and monitoring are in place to protect sensitive information while meeting any regulatory or industry requirements.
Incident Response Preparedness – Developing and testing an incident response plan is critical for handling breaches effectively. This includes detailing recovery times, containment strategies, and communication protocols for stakeholders during crises.
Employee Awareness – Cybersecurity training programmes should be prioritised to equip employees with knowledge about phishing attacks, ransomware risks, and best practices for safeguarding company data, and most importantly, how to report them. Human error remains one of the biggest vulnerabilities.
By addressing these areas strategically and communicating effectively with the board, you can instil confidence in the organisation’s cybersecurity capabilities while ensuring alignment with broader business goals.
By engaging with Somniac Security, our experienced team can help you build and maintain trust with your board by supporting you and your team to develop and implement your cybersecurity strategy. Contact us at info@somniacsecurity.com today to help safeguard your business against tomorrow’s challenges!
