NCC Group praises government drive on board-level security awareness

The government’s latest Cyber Governance Health Check, which looks at the approach of UK FTSE 350 companies to cyber security, has revealed that many board members still don’t fully understand the potential impact of a cyber attack.

The new report, released by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), reveals that although 96% of organisations have a cyber security strategy in place, fewer than one in five boards claim to understand the impact of loss or disruption associated with cyber threats.

In collaboration with the DCMS, NCC Group worked as part of a panel to advise on the questions which formed this report. The global cyber security and risk mitigation expert has extensive experience in advising boards on best practice when it comes to both personal and organisational security.

Commenting on the report, Tim Rawlins, director and senior advisor at NCC Group, said: “It’s positive to see that most organisations have a security strategy in place. To ensure that these are effective, what’s needed now is a collective shift in mindset and ongoing board-level engagement.

“Cyber resilience is as much about preparation as it is about detection, response and recovery. It’s crucial that boards not only understand the potential impact of cyber threats, but are committed to a top-down approach to security in order to ensure that the strategic and operational business risk is understood across an organisation. A lack of awareness isn’t just damaging for individual organisations, but for the economy at large, and the government and industry have a key role to play in educating businesses on its importance.

“It’s reassuring to see more resources being created in partnership with the industry to support company boards and to tackle evolving cyber threats, and this report will play a key part in driving this education forward.”