Risk
10/09/2017

How Poor Communication Practices by Directors Increase Cyber Risk


cyberrisk-10-9-17.pngThe role of a corporate director is continuously expanding, particularly in the banking space. Beyond growing profits, today’s directors are also responsible for ensuring corporate ethics, social responsibility, cybersecurity and more. Unfortunately, many directors are still using their old communication tools. A recent report from the New York Stock Exchange and Diligent found that the communication practices of directors and executives are potentially increasing their company’s level of cyber risk for the sake of personal convenience.

These findings are particularly alarming in the context of recent regulatory pressures on boards to be held accountable for data privacy and cyber breaches—including a recent ruling by the New York State Department of Financial Services applicable to all financial services firms conducting business in New York, and the impending impact of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation for every company that serves EU customers. (For further details about the New York regulations, see “New Rules for Financial Firms in New York Put New Onus on Boards.”)

The NYSE/Diligent report noted that while directors and executives have access to sensitive data, they operate with little-to-no direct oversight by the company’s IT/data security teams, and are therefore not restricted to using only secure communication channels when discussing board business. In fact, of the 381 corporate directors of publically traded companies surveyed for the report:

  • Ninety-two percent use personal email accounts (outside corporate firewalls) at least occasionally to conduct board business.
  • Fifty percent regularly download confidential company documents onto personal devices or computers.
  • Sixty-two percent are not required to undergo cybersecurity training.
  • Forty percent “didn’t know” if the board had ever conducted a security audit.

So what what are some best practices for secure board communication that banks and financial institutions can employ to mitigate cyber risk and prepare their directors and executives to meet the challenge?

Training and Assessments
Cyber threats can change at a moment’s notice, and regulatory requirements in the cybersecurity space continue to evolve. Regular training is imperative for board members, especially experienced directors who need refreshers or may not be aware of the latest risks. Customize the training to include a review of the practices your company expects from directors to ensure they are handling sensitive information appropriately, and continue to revisit these on an annual basis.

Bring the data security team into the boardroom to conduct an audit of directors’ communication practices. By ensuring that directors are handling documents only through secured and encrypted channels, your company can minimize exposure to some of the worst penalties of the new regulations.

Also, leverage the annual board evaluation by making cybersecurity a key component of board success. Query directors on their level of readiness to handle a material data breach or leak, and their understanding of the board’s responsibility versus the roles of IT and the management team. From there, the company can identify areas where further education and training are needed.

Keep Business and Personal Separate
Free email service provider use has been the center of too many corporate cyber incidents in recent years—yet directors continue to use personal email as a primary communications method rather than adopting more secure technology. Why? While internal emails and servers typically have heightened security and stronger encryption, many directors reject company-issued email accounts because they serve on multiple boards, which could lead to a single director having to check multiple inboxes and multiple calendars to conduct board work.

But what directors gain in convenience by using personal email, they lose in increased risk. The better solution? Give up on email altogether and opt for a secure messaging tool.

Secure and Convenient Technology
Select a secure messaging tool that is designed specifically for director communication and can be integrated into your existing governance software. There are a number of considerations to keep in mind. Do your directors prefer to use mobile? Do they want to make digital edits while reviewing board docs? What level of protection and encryption do you need?

These platforms can alert directors’ mobile phones when messages arrive and allow them to login with biometrics—while still enabling the data security team and corporate secretary to control record retention and data encryption. It not only facilitates convenient board communication, but can also be a last line of defense in case devices are stolen in transit, lost on planes or impacted by viruses/malware while connected to unsecure Wi-Fi.

Dottie Schindlinger