Question: Are board or senior leadership meetings provided with periodic cybersecurity and privacy risk updates?
Objective — Why This Matters
Leadership visibility drives funding, prioritization, and cross-department cooperation. Regular, concise risk updates make cyber and privacy a business topic, not just an IT issue.
Maturity Levels (0–5)
0 — Unaware
No security/privacy updates ever presented.
No security/privacy updates ever presented.
1 — Ad Hoc
Irregular briefings without data or follow-ups.
Irregular briefings without data or follow-ups.
2 — Defined
Quarterly deck template with key risks and actions.
Quarterly deck template with key risks and actions.
3 — Managed
Standard KRIs/KPIs, trend lines, and decisions tracked.
Standard KRIs/KPIs, trend lines, and decisions tracked.
4 — Integrated
Updates tied to enterprise risk, finance, and internal audit.
Updates tied to enterprise risk, finance, and internal audit.
5 — Optimized
Benchmarking shared; risk appetite and investment aligned.
Benchmarking shared; risk appetite and investment aligned.
How to Level Up
| From → To | Actions |
|---|---|
| 0 → 1 | Book a standing 15-minute slot in leadership review; present top 5 risks. |
| 1 → 2 | Define a one-page dashboard (KRIs, incidents, projects, vendor issues). |
| 2 → 3 | Track decisions in a log; link to risk register and CAPA tracker. |
| 3 → 4 | Integrate with ERM and budget cycles; include audit/compliance status. |
| 4 → 5 | Add external benchmarks and assurance results; review risk appetite annually. |
People / Process / Technology Enablers
- People: CISO/Privacy Lead; Finance partner; Internal Audit rep.
- Process: Quarterly management review SOP; decision/action register.
- Technology: Slide template; shared dashboard; risk register.
Evidence Required
- Last 2–3 decks; meeting minutes and action items.
- Risk dashboard/KRIs with trends.
- Links to risk register entries closed after reviews.
Metrics / KPIs
- Number of decisions per quarter; % actions closed on time.
- Δ residual risk vs quarter start.
- Incident MTTR trend presented to leadership.
Low-Cost / Open-Source Options (MSME)
| Purpose | Tool | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboards | Google Sheets + Charts | Keep it simple; snapshot monthly. |
| Risk register | Simple spreadsheet | Owner, due date, residual risk, evidence link. |
| Presentation | LibreOffice Impress | Standard deck template. |
Common Pitfalls
- Slides heavy on tools, light on business impact.
- No follow-through on actions from leadership.
- Hiding bad news; under-reporting close calls.
Compliance Mapping
| Standard | Clauses / Notes |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 27001:2022 | 9.3 (management review) |
| CERT-In 2022 | Governance/oversight expectation |
| NIRMATA Scoring | GL-Q02: evidence = decks + minutes + action closure. |