Tech At The Top: C-Level's Crucial Involvement With It And Cybersecurity

Information Technology (IT) is not just for the geeks. IT is your business—whatever your business.

Think about it. The first thing you do when you get to work is turn on your computer. You log in, which lets you securely connect to your company’s systems. If you’re working from home, you probably connect to a VPN through a firewall, additional levels of security that keep your company’s systems and data safe from the outside world.

Once you’re connected, you check your email. You respond to messages in your inbox. One message requires a follow-up phone call using voice-over IP. A colleague pings you via your corporate messaging system and asks you to hop on an impromptu video conference call. You schedule another meeting for later in the day. You need to do some research beforehand, so you get on the internet and check a client’s or a vendor’s website. Then you go to another website to order something or click on a contact link to request a response to your query.

Every one of those activities is IT-based. A failure of the technology supporting any one of them is a threat to your business. And that’s just the start of your day.

As you move through the more detailed work of your business, IT is at the heart of it. For modern manufacturers, procurement, sales, billing, and even the product creation itself are IT-driven. If you have an ERP system, that’s IT. Accounting and payroll are provided by IT. In-house communications—file sharing, employee intranet, Slack channels, messaging—are all provided by IT. So are external communications, such as internet access.

If you take away IT, none of those things are possible. Without IT, you don’t have a business. What’s more, every aspect of your business is vulnerable in today’s world. Without IT, you can’t secure your business from outside threats.

C-Level is Critical to Cybersecurity

Too often, however, a business’s top management and its IT department are disconnected—almost as if they are different organizations. Another common scenario occurs when the head of the IT department is a top-level executive who doesn’t let the other top executives get involved in their department’s operations—again, a disconnect. Once upon a time, this type of siloing was common practice, and businesses operating under this paradigm could function adequately. Today, given how pervasive IT is throughout all areas of the business, this practice is inefficient at best. And when it comes to security, it’s downright dangerous.

“Strategic business processes are just as important as the technology you use,” says Scott Singer, CEO of CyberNINES. “It all comes down to people, process, and technology—it’s critical to have the right processes in place rather than just an expensive technological solution. And that’s only possible when you have the top executives driving those processes.”

Singer stresses that physical security and cybersecurity are increasingly one and the same. What threatens one, threatens the other. A cyberattack on critical infrastructure can lead to physical damage, while a physical attack on a data center can paralyze digital operations. It’s no longer a matter of one department handling physical security while IT takes care of the cyber aspects. Every department, every group, must take responsibility for the security of the organization, and that just won’t happen unless top management takes the lead and sets the example.

Why Is Executive Involvement So Important?

“The approach I take with business leaders is to go beyond their technology problems and provide them with a roadmap that will take their business on a journey of growth,” Singer says. There are many reasons why you, as a business leader, should be an involved partner in cybersecurity:

· Cultural Tone Setting: First and foremost, a company’s attitude toward cybersecurity (and everything else) comes from the top. When you make cybersecurity a priority, your employees take it seriously.

· Stakeholder Buy-In: This in turn ensures stakeholder buy-in. Each department gets involved in cybersecurity policy development process, which fosters better understanding and cooperation throughout the company.

· Cross-Functional Collaboration: When you foster collaboration between IT and other areas, you leverage the expertise of each department, creating more robust security measures, which are then implemented across the board and integrated into business processes in every area.

· Comprehensive Coverage: Since each department has unique responsibilities and operations, your involvement ensures that cybersecurity policies cover the entire organization, leaving no security gaps.

· Risk Management: Likewise, each department faces unique risks. Your involvement ensures that cybersecurity risks are addressed for each department and that this in turn aligns with your company’s overall risk management strategy.

· Coordination and Communication: When you involve all departments from the beginning, you foster collaboration and help establish clear communication channels, making it easier to implement your cybersecurity policies across the organization.

· Resource Allocation: Cybersecurity initiatives require budget, personnel, and technology. By prioritizing cybersecurity investments, you ensure they are properly funded and supported.

· Regulatory Compliance: If your company is a DIB organization working with government contracts and handling Controlled Unclassified Information, you must comply with NIST SP 800-171. Your executive involvement ensures that all departments are engaged and in compliance with NIST guidelines.

· Tailored Policies: Further, although NIST SP 800-171 provides a framework, the actual implementation must be tailored to your organization's specific needs. Engaging all departments allows policies to be customized to each department's requirements, leading to more practical and relevant security measures.

· Vendor Management: If your company uses third-party vendors for any IT services, you can ensure these vendors meet your company’s cybersecurity standards, including NIST SP 800-171 compliance.

· Incident Response: If you do suffer a breach, you need to make quick decisions about how to mitigate the damage, recover quickly, and minimize disruption to your business.

· Brand Protection: As part of incident recovery, you can guide your company’s communication with customers, partners, and regulatory authorities to restore trust and preserve your brand’s reputation.

· Long-Term Strategy: Cyber threats are constantly evolving. Your involvement ensures that your company has a long-term strategy for adapting to emerging threats and technologies.

· Reporting and Accountability: As an engaged C-level executive, you keep your board members well-informed about your organization's cybersecurity posture, risks, and mitigation strategies.

In short, your partnership with IT is vital to making cybersecurity a priority across your organization. As Singer puts it, “My mission is to help companies with both security expertise and IT solutions to protect business owners from cyber threats. Why? Because I’m a business owner, and I’ve been there. It’s fulfilling to see businesses succeed, and I relish my role in helping other business leaders solve their security pain points.”