Many boards still communicate sensitive internal governance messages through unsecure communication channels. A recent report from Diligent Corporation found that 56 percent of directors use personal email accounts for communication with the board. And even governance professionals and C-level executives also do this. This is a significant risk that needs to be addressed.

It is vital to convince board members with the need for secure communication. This involves educating them about how their current methods make vulnerable to data breaches and assisting them to understand the costs of such breaches in terms of lost operational time, the cost of defending against cyberattacks, as well as concerns over compliance violations.

Boards must be aware of the fact that they are particularly attractive targets for cyber criminals. Hackers target high-profile executives such as directors and executives of boards because they have access to sensitive data that is valuable to them. This makes them a prime attack target for ransomware, where criminals threaten to release sensitive information unless they receive payment.

To prevent this from happening, it’s imperative that the board considers adopting the governance platform that replaces email and text messaging with a fortified system of record that makes use of encrypted data delivery and a specially-designed mobile application. This eliminates the necessity to share confidential or valuable information best driver update software free in unsecure email systems or document systems that are managed by the organization’s IT teams. It also provides an independent platform that allows boards to remain in charge during times of crisis.