What do you do if senior executives don't understand the importance of cybersecurity?

If you find yourself in this situation, then maybe because the language you used did not hit the mark. Cyber is just one of many business risks, and any business risks has an impact to the business. Are you trying to convince the executive in question on the importance of a technical impact? This is probably where you are missing the mark. Always goes to what is the business impact (this service will go down and you wont be able to send out invoices/tenders .. this will stop customer from being able to submit a sale .. this will expose our customers data and impact our reputation, customer confidence and potentially cost us significant fines.)

- Educate on Risks: Explain cybersecurity risks in terms of potential financial and reputational impacts e.g. using Cyber Risk Quantification - Use Real Examples: Cite recent high-profile cyber breaches that illustrate the consequences of neglect. - Align with Business Goals: Show how cybersecurity supports overall business objectives and growth. - Propose Clear Solutions: Offer straightforward, actionable measures to mitigate risks. - Demonstrate ROI: Highlight the return on investment and cost savings from preventive measures.

If senior executives don't grasp the significance of cybersecurity, it's essential to bridge the knowledge gap. Try to relate information security to business objectives. Illustrate real-world cyber threats, demonstrating their potential impact on the organization's operations and reputation. Emphasize the financial implications of breaches and propose proactive measures to bolster security. Offer regular updates on the evolving threat landscape and advocate for investments in training and technology. By building awareness and aligning priorities, executives can better appreciate the critical role of cybersecurity in safeguarding the organization's assets.

Today Cybersecurity is an issue critical for the digital ecosystem. At a time, when the world is going digital, securing the digital assets, data and information becomes a matter of topmost priority. In today’s digital landscape, the imperative of cybersecurity transcends the technical domain, emerging as a pivotal business concern. Senior executives, often distanced from the intricacies of cyber threats, must be engaged in a dialogue that resonates with their acumen. From a cyberlaw standpoint, it is important to articulate risks in the Language of Business. There is a need to?shift the conversation from technical jargon to the language of risk management. Cyber threats should be framed as vectors for financial loss and reputational harm

Educate Them: Start by providing clear and concise information about cybersecurity threats and their potential impact on the organization. Use real-world examples and case studies to illustrate the consequences of security breaches.

It's important to outline how the investment you've made in a security capability will buy down risk in business terms they'll understand. You can do this by describing real life threat scenarios (i.e. most Boards and Execs are aware of ransomware threat), but what they want to know is how that threat could affect the business. I find leveraging output from cyber risk quantification methods helps give the scenario view and the financial impact in terms they understand. Also, ensure your Cyber strategy is defined with a clear alignment to the business objectives, and also demonstrates how security enables the business. This helps reinforce the business view of cyber. Ensure any metrics you use are relevant to cyber risk buy down

My personal view is that most of the time it is not the C-suite doesn't understand the importance of cybersecurity but rather they didn't have the full picture of it and hence didn't grasp the importance. Not every C-suite has the technology technical background. Hence it is important to speak their language and help them to understand by giving concrete and relevant example.

Understanding the perspective of the C-suite is key. If they don't grasp the importance of cybersecurity processes, it means there's a disconnect in communication. Avoid terms like zero days, cross-site scripting, or open JTAG ports. Instead, focus on discussing the potential financial losses, business impact, and effects on the company's reputation. This approach aligns better with their priorities and concerns

They are called business leaders, so you need to discuss cyber security as a business function not as something - not as a separate bolt-on but as an integral part of overall business risk management. Framing it in terms of potential financial impact, from direct costs like data breach repercussions and regulatory fines to indirect costs such as brand reputation damage, makes security relevant. Moreover, in today's digital-first environment, a robust cybersecurity strategy isn't just a defense mechanism; it's a competitive edge. Companies demonstrating secure handling of data earn trust more easily and differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

It all depends on the use case presentations and citing examples. In today's world, i don't think there will be any Senior Executives who 'don't understand' Cybersecurity importance except they choose to deprioritize. Hence, as an representative of the need for strong cybersecurity culture in an organization, i will pursue the Executives with the most relevant use cases and examples to prioritize cybersecurity. It works and worked for me.

I suggest organizing training sessions or workshops with cybersecurity experts who can provide insights and answer any questions the executives might have. Finally, I propose a phased approach to implementing cybersecurity measures, starting with quick wins to demonstrate immediate value, and gradually moving towards more comprehensive solutions. My aim is to convey that understanding and investing in cybersecurity is not just a technical necessity but a strategic imperative for the organization's survival and growth.

Providing only enough information for senior management to be informed of the risks and business impacts associated will provide an outcome where they are going to ask questions. When they ask questions and you present answers, they will be more inclined to make decisions about solutions. This method makes senior management think they are solving the problem which will make them buy in to the decision much more than if you provide them with a problem and a solution. It may feel counterintuitive to not offer solutions up front, but getting them to think that the solution is their idea is a way more successful approach than trying to get buy in from someone who’s role is more focused on decision-making. Let them decide.

From Dr. No to Dr. How. From gatekeepers to bridge builders. From business blocker to growth enabler. The business needs to grow. The security team is there to help it grow, as responsibly as possible. Always look for ways to roll out new products and projects as securely as possible. Just as we had to figure out how to integrate Wi-Fi into workflows and workplaces 25 years ago, we now have to figure out how to use AI safely or risk falling behind. You can't just say, "No! It's not safe!" We need to work together to figure out the next sentence. "But if we do this, then we can proceed as securely as possible while meeting our business goals."

The more data driven you can do this the better your arguments will sink. I have always used Verizon DBIR, IBM Breach Report and few other credible documents as my sources. Where I have had opportunities to use peer company information as a reference it has been excellent approach as well. Logically you need to understand the differences between your company and the peer companies when using such arguments as two different entities are rarely the same. I usually also test the ideas with friendly C-Level prior of getting in front of the more challenging ones.

Real-world examples are indeed one of the best ways to drive home the importance of a robust security program. Since cybersecurity has always been a cost center, it can be hard for leadership to get the urgency that it merits. For instance, they might want to see ROI metrics which traditionally have not existed in the cyber realm. To make up for this, security teams can present management with examples of breaches and associated financial losses within the industry, and estimate the ROI using the money “saved” by preventing such incidents.

Actualized threats can help shape the thought patterns of executives. In the past it has been the proximity to impacting the executive that has allowed them to shift their perspective and gain a better understanding of the threat landscape and the proper precautions necessary to defend the organizations interests.

Executives understand risk and how that translates to dollars, loss of market share or their brand reputation. The context of the discussion needs to be framed in this light. Highly regulated industries, such as finance for example, need to understand the impacts in terms of regulatory and legal penalties for not exercising due care and diligence. The discussion needs to be framed in the context of the business environment and its impact on operations (i.e. its ability to make money and provide value to shareholders).

During my research, I found that: - There is an IT revolution in the industry in the 21st century - Smart grids and ICS are deployed in every sector - The working staff aren't aware of such smart devices and lack knowledge of cyber attacks. - Few major cyber attacks in different critical infrastructure: 1) Ukraine power grid attack, which affected more than 225,000 consumers in 2015 2) 2009 Brazil and Paraguay went through a blackout effect; more than 60 million people. 3) There were around 35 fraudulent instructions from the Bangladesh Federal Bank to the New York Bank, and 5 were successful with more than $100 million. Mentioning these case studies will help to make your objective very strong.

When advocating for strong cybersecurity measures, citing real-world examples can be a potent strategy. By sharing stories of organizations that suffered significant losses due to cyber incidents, you make the potential consequences feel more tangible and relatable for executives. For instance, highlighting a high-profile data breach at a company in a similar industry can drive home the devastating impact of inadequate security protocols. Detailing how proper security measures could have mitigated or even prevented such an event underscores the criticality of robust cybersecurity defenses. Drawing parallels to comparable businesses facing similar risks makes the threat more palpable for decision-makers.

Top managements of companies need to be sensitized about the legal repercussions stemming from data breaches. There is a need to emphasize the gravity of non-compliance with data protection statutes in the relevant national jurisdictions for example GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California and Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 in India, underscoring the severe penalties that could ensue. We need to illustrate the Financial Stakes of cybersecurity.?People love to hear stories, Leverage historical data breaches within analogous enterprises, in a story telling manner, to paint a picture of financial implications. Utilize industry-specific cost calculators and reports to forecast the economic ramifications of potential security incidents.

The best thing obviously is to gain quarterly face time from your most important stakeholders. This is not something that will be given to you, you must earn the slot from their calendar. I recall vividly when I long ago visited in SVP room who told me: "Petri you can sit only after you have told me the targets of this meeting". I survived the test and had a good meeting with him. i.e. start always from business problem and think carefully how you ease-up the life of the leader instead of burden them.

The best way to keep security front of mind for leadership is through an ongoing awareness program that is fun and rewarding, as well as informative. I'm biased, but the best results I've seen have come through piggy-backing awareness micro-moments with a gamified phishing simulation. They get a phish, they recognize the phish, they report the phish with a button integrated into their email client, and they get some a digitally-induced rush of dopamine followed by a quick 30-seconds-or-less educational moment. The right platform can help you deliver dozens of these a year, with a built-in friendly competition that lets executives compete with one another on their cyber prowess. This leads to a foundational embrace of cyber.

Cybersecurity demands continuous engagement with leadership as risks constantly evolve. Schedule regular meetings to discuss new threats, incidents, and progress of security initiatives. Consistent dialogue ensures cybersecurity remains a priority, not a one-time fix. Making cybersecurity an ongoing conversation nurtures a culture of security awareness organization-wide, from executives to employees. This proactive approach positions the company to stay ahead of threats, safeguarding assets, operations, and reputation.

Higher management is always concerned about reputation and return on investment (ROI). So we have to make them understand the loss of reputation due to a Cybersecurity breach and keep them engaged and updated.

In that case, it's crucial to educate them on potential risks, financial implications, regulatory requirements and market reputation. You can provide case studies, industry statistics and engage them in discussions with cybersecurity experts to understand the importance of robust security measures. Additionally, demonstrating how investing in cybersecurity can protect the company's reputation in market, help gaining trust & support of existing and potential customers.

Leaders need to understand how and why security is for the business and for them selves and their goal. This is usually achieved by aligning cybersecurity with the goal of the business and show them how cybersecurity can be an asset for the business in both how to keep the business a float but also as a branding/marketing value. I do this by making sure that I know what the mission, vision and strategy of the organization is, and make sure I can align cybersecurity with those goals and then make the case for my leaders. But regularly reporting to them on security and what we achieve in security is also a good way of helping them and keeping security as top of mind for them.

In my experience with executives it’s always about cost so I draw out comparisons of the cost in aftermath and cost of being proactive. Real world examples go a long way

Executive sponsors for cybersecurity are essential to build robust cybersecurity and establishing a cybersecurity culture. By pinning the responsibility of cybersecurity on a CXO level person organisations can benefit in the following ways: 1. Show the management commitment to cybersecurity 2. Coordinate cybersecurity initiatives across departments 3. Act as the bridge between technology personnel and management 4. Lead cybersecurity initiatives for employee training and awareness programs 5. Ensure regular review and budgeting of cybersecurity programs 6. Ensure that compliance requirements are adhered to 7. Lead collaboration efforts intra industry and regulator

One thing I have found helpful is to break down the complex concepts in to a simpler and easy to understand situations. This can even be achieved through a practical simulation of a cyber security simulation, so that everyone understands what can happen in a real life crisis.

Senior management may not understand the technical jargons, however, they can relate with the risks related to a weak cybersecurity posture. Articulating these risks in a clear and understandable manner and the associated cost may be helpful in getting a buy in from senior management to invest in strengthening the controls necessary to improve the cybersecurity posture.

Present relevant examples from your industry where cybersecurity incidents led to tangible consequences. Highlighting how similar organizations faced substantial costs or disruptions can help executives recognize the potential business implications.

Desde mi humilde experiencia, lo primero es identificar y medir el nivel de la cultura en la alta dirección referente a ciberseguridad, para posteriormente establecer un programa de concientización en toda la linea de mando y posteriormente bajar hacia los colaboradores.

One thing I have found helpful is sharing with Executives what other leaders in their industry or even better what their competitors are doing to advance Cybersecurity in their organization! That shock and awe makes the cybersecurity risk and threats extremely relatable and actionable immediately!