For years, cyber security has struggled to hold the board’s attention. Briefings were technical, the metrics were abstract, and conversations often ended with polite nods and limited investment.
That dynamic is changing – not because boards suddenly understand cyber threats, but because CISOs are learning to speak a different language.
The modern board doesn’t want to hear about vulnerabilities or malware families. It wants to understand exposure, impact, and trade-offs. What’s the financial risk? What’s the operational consequence? What happens if systems go down during peak periods?
These are the questions driving meaningful engagement.
The most effective CISOs are reframing cyber security as enterprise risk management. Instead of reporting on patching levels or alert volumes, they’re mapping cyber scenarios to business outcomes: revenue disruption, regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and strategic delay. This shift transforms cyber security from a technical cost centre into a core governance issue.
Quantification plays a growing role
While no model is perfect, risk-based frameworks allow CISOs to estimate probable loss and compare cyber exposure to other business risks. When security investments are positioned as risk reduction – rather than abstract protection – they become easier for boards to evaluate and prioritise.
Equally important is clarity. Boards are overwhelmed with information, and cyber security competes with economic volatility, regulatory change, and geopolitical risk. CISOs who succeed are those who simplify without dumbing down – using clear narratives, scenario-based discussions, and consistent metrics that track progress over time.
CISOs must be willing to state where the organisation is exposed, where controls are insufficient, and where risk is being consciously accepted. Overly optimistic reporting may feel safer in the short term, but it erodes trust when incidents occur. Transparency builds credibility.
But this conversation with the board isn’t just about communication – it’s about influence. As cyber risk becomes inseparable from business strategy, CISOs are increasingly involved in decisions around cloud adoption, mergers & acquisitions, supply chain partnerships, and digital product launches.
Security input is no longer an afterthought; it’s part of the decision-making process.
This visibility comes with responsibility. Boards expect CISOs to prioritise ruthlessly, explain trade-offs clearly, and align security investments with business goals. The days of asking for budget “because it’s best practice” are over. Every request must tie back to resilience, growth, or regulatory obligation.
Ultimately, this shift benefits everyone. Boards gain clearer insight into one of their most material risks. Executives make better-informed decisions.
And CISOs move from the margins of strategy to its centre.
David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.