Why cybersecurity is a board-level priority

Cybersecurity is now one of the most critical tests of corporate leadership. In 2025, a number of  boards are unprepared for this challenge.

Presented by Fortinet

Ransomware attacks often stem from a minor oversight — a compromised login, an exposed service or a misconfigured cloud setting. From there, attackers move rapidly, taking advantage of legacy infrastructure, fragmented systems and weak oversight of third-party environments.

For many organisations, the warning signs go unnoticed until the damage is done.

What happens after the breach matters most

Boards often ask whether an incident response plan exists. A more important question is, does the plan work in practice? Does it reflect the current environment? Are roles clearly defined and understood? Has it been tested under pressure?

Internal delays can significantly worsen the impact of a breach. Time is often lost identifying assets, gaining approvals or clarifying accountability. While the breach may be the cause of disruption, a lack of preparedness often turns it into a crisis.

Outdated governance is a hidden risk

Many companies rely on cyber response plans that have not been reviewed or tested in years. These plans often include outdated escalation paths, unclear responsibilities and assumptions that no longer hold true in complex digital environments.

Fortinet’s 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report reveals attackers are now moving faster and using automation to amplify their impact. Governance must evolve to match this pace. Boards need to assign clear ownership, regularly review their structures and make testing a routine part of oversight.

Boards that lead achieve better outcomes

Cybersecurity must be treated with the same level of urgency as legal, financial and operational risk. Leading boards take action by applying models such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework and the Australian Signals Directorate’s Essential Eight mitigation strategies, ensuring clarity of ownership and integrating response planning into governance practices.

Simulations can reveal where decision-making falters, where responsibilities are misunderstood and where manual processes cause delays. These are not failures of technology. They are failures of governance and can only be addressed through strong board-level leadership.

Improving cyber maturity enables faster, more confident decisions. It strengthens trust with stakeholders and improves outcomes when they matter most.

This is not a matter of fear. It is one of preparedness, ownership and leadership.