Many boards continue to send confidential internal communications through unsecure channels for communication. A recent study by Diligent Corporation found that 56 percent of directors use personal email accounts for communication with the board. And even C-level executives and governance professionals do so as well. This is a serious risk that must be addressed.
It is vital to convince board members of the importance of secure communication. This means educating them on how their current practices make them vulnerable to data breaches and helping them understand how much it can cost in terms of lost time, cyberattacks, and compliance violations.
Boards need to be aware that they are a prime targets for cybercriminals. Hackers target high-profile people like board directors and executives because they can access sensitive information important to them. This makes them a prime target for ransomware attacks where the criminals threaten to release confidential information unless they get a payment.
To prevent this from happening, the board could consider adopting a governance platform that replaces text and email messages with a secure record system that uses encrypted data transmission and a custom-built mobile application. This will eliminate the need to share sensitive or confidential information through unsecure documents or email accounts which are controlled by the IT teams of the organization and provides an independent platform that will enable boards to continue to lead during times of crisis.