What do you do if non-technical stakeholders don't understand cybersecurity risks?

??Demystifying cybersecurity for non-technical stakeholders is vital. ?? Simple Analogies Employ everyday comparisons to illuminate complex cybersecurity concepts, enhancing comprehension. ?? Clear Language Opt for straightforward, jargon-free communication. This approach ensures accessibility and engagement. ?? Interactive Engagement Involve stakeholders in discussions, making abstract concepts tangible and fostering ownership. ?? Prioritizing clarity in cybersecurity dialogue bridges gaps, fostering a unified defense posture.

One of your main responsibilities as a cybersecurity professional is to translate cyber risk to business risks. While non-technical stakeholders may not understand the ins and out of a technical risk, they will absolutely understand the risk to the business. Correlate these to business risk, avoid jargon and techie acronyms and you will be in a much better position in terms of getting buy-in.

Relatable stories and analogies work well. We are now in the era where communication must be role-based; your message must be tailored for the stakeholder group. I post stories weekly that can be used for the purpose.

When discussing cybersecurity with non-technical stakeholders, frame it within their familiar risk management context. Position cybersecurity alongside typical business concerns like finance or operations. Present strategies as risk management options: reducing risks through safeguards, transferring risks with insurance or partnerships, avoiding specific high-risk activities, or accepting risks when justified by potential benefits. This approach integrates cybersecurity into their broader business strategy, aiding informed decision-making.

When engaging with non-technical stakeholders, modulate your enthusiasm for Cybersecurity. Prioritizing clarity and relevance over display of technical expertise will help not overwhelm the listeners and you being considered a partner. Use visual cues while providing simple and effective examples to establish the value of Cybersecurity. Well-chosen visuals can help reinforce key points and improve retention. Remember, you are not only bringing them on your side, but also want them to continue to bring Cybersecurity awareness in their organization.

Know your audience. Know how they prefer to communicate and what motivates them. Unless you’re in an industry where cyber security is truly a competitive edge in and of itself, then make sure you present the issues in the context of their impact on the business.

Use Analogies and Metaphors: Relate cyber risks to real-world scenarios that non-technical people are familiar with. For example, compare a firewall to a bank's vault door, or explain phishing scams in terms of a con artist's tricks.

Start by recognizing that the audience doesn't want to become cybersecurity experts (if they did, they would already be on your team.) Don't try to educate them on the technologies, explain the impacts to their job. An accountant doesn't need to understand cryptography to be ransomware aware -- they need to know ransomware could prevent them from paying the bills or completing the quarter-end financials on time. The sales department should understand that poor password practices could leak their contact list. The shipping department may not be able to create shipping labels, etc. Everyone at the company is expected to do a job. Explaining how cybersecurity incidents can impact their job is the first step to getting their help.

By tailoring communication about cybersecurity to the audience's knowledge level, organizations can enhance awareness, engagement, and accountability for security practices across the organization. Customizing messages to address the unique needs and concerns of stakeholders fosters a culture of proactive risk management, collaboration, and shared responsibility for cybersecurity within the organization.

Adaptar sua comunica??o ao nível de conhecimento do seu público é essencial. Comece avaliando o quanto eles est?o familiarizados com os conceitos de seguran?a cibernética e construa a partir desse ponto. Se eles já têm um entendimento básico, aprofunde-se em riscos mais específicos que possam afetar sua organiza??o. Caso contrário, comece com os fundamentos. O objetivo é tornar a seguran?a cibernética relevante para o papel e as responsabilidades deles. Destacar como as amea?as cibernéticas podem impactar diretamente as opera??es do departamento pode tornar os riscos mais tangíveis e a necessidade de medidas de prote??o mais evidente.

Incorporating visual aids into cybersecurity communication strategies can enhance engagement, understanding, and retention of critical information among stakeholders. By leveraging visual tools to simplify complex concepts, illustrate risks, and emphasize the importance of cybersecurity practices, organizations can foster a culture of awareness, resilience, and proactive risk management across the organization.

Develop a tabletop exercise that allows stakeholders to 'war game' scenarios such as ransomware or DDoS attacks on an enterprise. Non-technical stakeholders learn very quickly without needing to be fluent in cybersecurity.

Using visual aids such as infographics, diagrams, flowcharts, charts, graphs, threat models, screenshots, mockups, and interactive presentations can simplify cybersecurity concepts for non-technical stakeholders. These aids help illustrate key concepts, processes, and threats, making them easier to understand and remember. By incorporating visual elements into your communication strategy, you can effectively convey the importance of cybersecurity and engage stakeholders in implementing security measures.

It's important to simplify everything into an easily identified visual so that can maintain the audience's interest.that will have an impact on how they interact. When using visuals, make sure to draw the audience in with basic animations. It entails simplifying complicated instances into a more digestible manner.

Definitivamente! Recursos visuais s?o ferramentas poderosas para transmitir informa??es complexas. Tabelas, gráficos e infográficos podem ilustrar os riscos de seguran?a cibernética e seu impacto potencial de forma mais clara e impactante. Por exemplo, uma representa??o visual do efeito de uma viola??o de dados na confian?a do cliente pode ser mais persuasiva do que uma explica??o verbal. Além disso, recursos visuais ajudam as partes interessadas a entender conceitos abstratos, como o fluxo de um ataque cibernético ou o funcionamento da criptografia para proteger dados confidenciais. Como diz o ditado, uma imagem vale mais que mil palavras, especialmente ao explicar assuntos técnicos!

Sharing stories of actual breaches & cyber security incidents is a very effective method to make your stakeholders see the impact of cyber risks ?? Keeping a repository of well known breaches by their root cause comes handy to support you with the examples you need. For example, if you are trying to explain the importance of third party security, your stakeholders may not see how lack of security at another company will impact your own environment; here is where examples like solar winds breach & similar stories can help your audience see the impact of the risk you are trying to explain & sometimes one single breach story will show how multiple control failures led to a compromise. Make use of these where possible.

- One of the most effective methods for conveying the importance of cybersecurity goals is through storytelling. Tailoring a real-life scenario to each executive's perspective, or to the Board of Directors, simplifies complex concepts, making them more relatable and understandable. By presenting a narrative, executives can easily visualize the objectives and potential risks associated with cybersecurity, emphasizing the consequences of inaction. - Since 2018, I've found that stories resonate best. They not only capture attention but also drive home the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures.

I’ve found that you have to make what you’re talking about relatable. This means understanding the audience first. If you know your industry and you know your client then it’s now your responsibility to adapt the message so it is digestible and optimally received. Stories are a natural method to share anecdotes and analogies. The real skill is to be able to translate cyber tech speak into the language of the listener. Works the other way too, you need to be able translate the clients language and situation to your domain. This allows you to understand the context and analyse how you may solve any challenges gathered. If you are a technical person without these skills, I’d recommend working on them.

I bridge the gap by translating technical jargon into clear, relatable terms. For instance, I might explain a phishing attack by likening it to receiving a fraudulent phone call impersonating a trusted colleague. Through engaging presentations and interactive discussions, I illustrate the potential impact of cybersecurity risks on business objectives, reputation, and bottom line. By fostering a culture of awareness and accountability, I empower stakeholders to make informed decisions and prioritize cybersecurity measures effectively.

There's no better way to talk about cybersecurity with non-technical stakeholders than real world examples. Cyber attacks, data breaches and incidents resonate much more with non-technical stakeholders for two main reasons: 1. They do not get fed with lots of technical details and jargon. 2. But most importantly, they can appreciate the consequences and impacts because are explained through criteria they understand i.e. financial costs, reputation, disruption, etc. Real world examples also offer a benchmark for comparison, as conversations starters, and as provoking food for thoughts - "what would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation as ... ?"

Muhammad Ali, besides being the Greatest fighter, liked to do magic as an icebreaker and entertained others. But in accordance with his faith and humanity, he always revealed how the trick worked. I think cybersecurity pros should emulate Ali in this way. So much of what we do is viewed as so complex that it is like “magic”. But we should take the time and opportunity to be transparent with our “non-technical”stakeholders. It’s good business, but more importantly the right thing to do.

Com certeza! Oferecer sess?es de treinamento é uma maneira eficaz de melhorar a compreens?o das partes interessadas n?o técnicas sobre os riscos de seguran?a cibernética. Essas sess?es devem ser envolventes e interativas, possivelmente incluindo simula??es de tentativas de phishing ou outras amea?as cibernéticas comuns. Essa abordagem prática ajuda as partes interessadas a reconhecer as amea?as e entender a importancia de protocolos como a autentica??o multifator (AMF) e altera??es regulares de senha. Além disso, o treinamento demonstra o compromisso da organiza??o com a seguran?a cibernética, incentivando as partes interessadas a levá-la a sério.

Training's great. But two suggestions. [1] Create a powerful hook before you take them for a ride. Why do they care or why is this interesting? And [2] remember, training can be split and inserted into almost anything. E.g. cameo appearance in someone else's training... Empowering people with the knowledge and skills to be part of the solution cultivates a common shared responsibility to put security first. But this only works if you grab their attention for the journey. Make them interested. Keep it focused.

Tools like KnowBe4 takes the complex technical explanation and breaks it down to a more understandable explanation coupled with enjoyable short movies.

Training is a great way to break the ice with non-technical stakeholders. Open the door for live in-person feedback and use active listening. I you are not greatly skilled in active listening then there's a good goal for your personal development and an accomplishment you can obtain for your annual review! Put yourself out there and communicate with the stakeholders you are protecting!

To involve non-technical users in cybersecurity, start by making learning fun and relevant with workshops that use real-life scenarios they can relate to. Ask for their feedback to understand their challenges and include them in planning meetings to give them a say in security decisions. You can also appoint cybersecurity champions among them to spread awareness and encourage secure behaviors. Keep communication open with regular updates and easy-to-access resources, and highlight how good cybersecurity practices can protect both their work and personal digital lives. This approach makes cybersecurity a shared responsibility, not just something for the tech experts.

To effectively involve stakeholders in cybersecurity, move beyond just informing them. Include them in collaborative risk assessments, solicit their input on mitigation strategies, assign clear roles, and keep them informed. This fosters a shared understanding of threats and empowers stakeholders to take ownership of cybersecurity within their areas.

non-technical stakeholders involvement in cybersecurity planning and decision making is the magic key for all parties, it serves as a quick path for learning about real business impacts of cyber threats, it educates cybersecurity experts more about the threat landscape, the real potential risks and motives behind expected attacks, it adds more value to the implemented controls by understanding the business environment directly from different stakeholders and from different perspectives.

Involving others in Security takes Communication! Whether its a quarterly report to the organization or a newsletter sharing the fact that many in the Security profession are human! We have hobbies, families, and lives outside of Security! Share it, the ups, the downs, the accomplishments, and the milestones show we are humans and part of the business as well!

Absolutely, involving non-technical stakeholders in cybersecurity planning and decision-making processes is crucial for fostering a culture of security awareness and advocacy within the organization. By participating in risk assessments or policy development, stakeholders gain a deeper understanding of cybersecurity challenges and complexities. This involvement not only educates them on cybersecurity matters but also empowers them to advocate for necessary security measures within their spheres of influence. Ultimately, their engagement can lead to stronger organizational support for cybersecurity initiatives, making the entire organization more resilient to cyber threats.

Non-technical stakeholders have many risks, aside from cybersecurity ones, to address. These include: - Competitive - Regulatory - Finance - Sales - HR Even if you effectively communicate the gravity of a cyber risk, understand that it is not the only priority for business leaders. Give them options to address the risk, clearly described in terms of: - Mitigation - Transferrence - Avoidance - Acceptance Let the person with ultimate accountability of the business unit make the final decision.

This is the default state. The risks are invisible to people not focused on them, so you have to talk through business impact of information security and cybersecurity (and their lack).

Another thing to consider is helping these non-technical stakeholders understand the financial implications of these risks. Money speaks a universal language; no one wants to spend more when there's a cheaper alternative. Cybersecurity measures offer a cost-effective solution.

If in future I address this situation, I would consider doing the following things - 1. I would avoid using technical jargon and would explain the concepts in simple, understandable terms. 2. Secondly, I would explain the potential consequences of not addressing the cyber risks including the financial loss, damage to reputation, or legal implications. 3. Share stories or news about companies that faced the same cybersecurity issues which can help me to make understand the stakeholders the relevance and urgency of the risks. 4. Lastly, I would use diagrams, charts or infographics to illustrate the risks and how cybersecurity measures can mitigate them.

Through all of these steps, as a technical leader it's critical to focus the majority of your communications upon the business impacts if the risk is realized, rather than the technical impacts. When a new risk arises, one of my first activities is to quickly structure my thinking into a rough-order-of-magnitude model of the "iron triangle" (content, cost, schedule) consequences to the business that emerge from the details of the technical risks. Then I try to synthesize my picture of the situation into at least one higher layer of abstraction, as my inclination is always to be a little too "in-the-weeds" on the first pass. This yields ongoing benefits to written communications, management discussions, and even on-the-fly decision-making.