Closing the Cyber Confidence Gap in the Boardroom
As cyber risks escalate, boards must take proactive steps to improve cyber resilience. Cyber incidents threaten operational resilience and should be managed like other critical risks. Establishing board practices for cyber risk oversight increases confidence and enables the effective monitoring of the rapidly evolving cyber risk situation. It will also help to dedicate time to cyber risks while ensuring that other emerging risks, like AI or geopolitics are not dropping off the board’s agenda. Boards are not expected to master technology but to oversee risks effectively, which in the case of cyber risks possibly requires building confidence but rarely needs technical proficiency in the boardroom.
An emerging practice of cyber governance is providing structured guidance for boards. The UK Cyber Governance Code of Practice is built around five principles: Risk Management, Strategy, People, Incident planning, response and recovery, and Assurance and oversight [1]. This code is intentionally non-technical, ensuring accessibility to directors from all industries and adaptability to evolving technologies. Achieving strong cyber governance relies on sound risk management, oversight, and engagement across the business—not just with the technology executives. By embracing this approach, boards can take control of their cyber governance journey with confidence.
Building cyber confidence
To future-proof your board and enhance cyber governance, consider these practical steps:
Invest in your board’s education: Provide learning opportunities that help directors develop enough cyber awareness to ask the right questions and engage effectively with the executive team—without delving into technical details. Organisations such as CxB Cyber Governance for Boards offer free peer-to-peer learning sessions where non-executive directors share insights on cybersecurity.
Use reference materials: Resources like the Cyber Security Toolkit for Boards [2], published by the UK National Cyber Security Centre, provide accessible guidance without unnecessary technical complexity.
Enhance boardroom practices:
Prepare for meetings by compiling and sharing cyber-related questions in advance, enabling your technology teams to provide more relevant information.
Participate in cyber incident response exercises to understand the board’s role in a crisis.
Keep board discussions jargon-free and encourage technology executives to do the same.
There are also structural measures to help boards practice cyber governance with greater confidence:
Tackle cyber governance as a team: Addressing cyber risks within the risk committee ensures a structured, collaborative approach. Boards who encourage collective learning with multiple directors developing cyber expertise see better knowledge transfer and decision-making than those relying on a single cyber-savvy director.
Consider a technology committee: A dedicated committee allows a smaller group of directors to build confidence through regular engagement with the technology team.
Secure external expertise: Ensure the board has access to external advisors or assurance services when additional expertise is required.
Maximise cyber expertise
For highly technology-driven businesses or organisations with significant cyber risk exposure, adding a cyber expert to the board can be beneficial. However, to be truly effective, this decision should align with broader governance needs:
Calibrate your board’s composition: Boards oversee a wide range of strategic issues and benefit from directors with a T-shaped profile—deep expertise in one area while contributing across the full agenda [3]. The UK Corporate Governance Code emphasizes the need for alignment across purpose, values, strategy, and culture. Given the growing number of emerging topics in technology and beyond, ensuring board cohesion while integrating specialised expertise is key.
Limited supply of directors that fit your profile: Demand for directors who combine cyber expertise with governance, financial, and industry knowledge is high, but the supply of candidates with this well-rounded skill set remains limited.
The short shelf-life of cyber knowledge: Cyber threats and best practices evolve rapidly. A director with cyber expertise today must continuously update their knowledge to stay ahead. To make a lasting impact, they should also support the board in strengthening its collective cyber awareness, ensuring all directors are equipped to oversee cyber risks effectively.
Taking Action: Prepare for the Future
To gauge your board’s cyber governance maturity, take advantage of this free self-assessment offered by Cyber4Directors.
Looking ahead, prepare to adopt the forthcoming Cyber Governance Code of Practice. The confidence-building measures outlined above will go a long way in helping your board meet the growing demands of cyber governance. While board members build confidence to provide constructive challenge, cybersecurity professionals might need support in communicating cyber risks in plain English. Expert facilitation is available to bridge the gap between technology teams and the board. Helping your technology team to communicate better can foster meaningful, business-focused discussions on cyber risk, accelerating your board’s progress toward effective oversight.
Boards do not need to become technology experts to oversee cyber risks effectively. By focusing on learning, collaboration, and practical governance measures, directors can close the confidence gap and take charge of cyber governance. The key is to start now—small, consistent steps will build your board’s confidence and strengthen relationships with cybersecurity executives.
[1] UK Government, Cyber Governance Code of Practice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cyber-governance-code-of-practice/cyber-governance-code-of-practice
[2] UK Government, Cyber Security Toolkit for boards, 2025, https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/board-toolkit
[3] Russell Reynolds, The Power of Being T-Shaped: A Guide to Becoming an Exceptional Non-Executive Director, 2023
https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/the-power-of-being-t-shaped