In recent years, organizations have seen chief information security officers (CISOs) take on an important role within the C-Suite. Government regulations and advisories such as the SEC's expanded cybersecurity rules and the FTC's amended Safeguards Rule make cybersecurity expertise in the boardroom not a want but a need for a business to function properly. However, despite CISOs being folded into these high-level conversations, some can have difficulties communicating their priorities, new initiatives and the latest threats to their peers outside of security.
As CISOs, it is part of the job to know the ins and outs of the cybersecurity industry and how it could impact our organizations' day-to-day operations. While this is one of the key responsibilities of the role, being able to communicate these emerging threats and new needs to a wider audience is equally important. When CISOs are able to effectively communicate with the rest of the C-Suite and governing bodies such as the Board of Directors or Audit Committee, they are able to ensure that the decisions being made propel the organization forward without compromising its security posture. It can be easy to get into the weeds during these conversations and confuse board members with technical terms and issues that seemingly don't impact the business. To help avoid these issues, here are three ways to effectively communicate cyber threats and priorities to the C-Suite.