Cyber Guardians: Empowering Board Members for Effective Cyber Security
Bart R. McDonough
Wiley, 2023

There is no escaping it. Cyber security is no longer something that can just be passed to the IT department to deal with. Managing the risk is a team effort – from the frontline to the boardroom. This is a guide for members of the latter.

Not all board members will have extensive knowledge of cyber security, but they must still ensure that the organisation has effective cyber security measures in place. This book will help them with this growing – and increasingly complex – responsibility.

In Cyber Guardians: Empowering Board Members for Effective Cyber Security, cyber security advisor Bart McDonough offers a roadmap to effective cyber security oversight for directors and board members of organisations of all sizes.

The CEO and founder of US-based managed IT and cyber security services provider, Agio, draws on his security expertise to produce a user-friendly guide to the intricate landscape of cyber security. In addition to his role as a strategic cyber security advisor to boards, McDonough has also contributed valuable insights and perspectives as a member of several boards. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and his Master’s degree from Yale University.

This comprehensive guide tackles phishing and ransomware, firewalls and encryption. It examines cyber security laws, regulations and compliance standards at federal, state and international levels. It discusses the board’s role in overseeing cyber security, emphasising strategy, governance frameworks and risk assessment. One chapter focuses on incident response and business continuity planning, while another highlights managing third-party risk. Cyber security awareness training is explored, as is cyber insurance, policy components, coverage options and claims processes.

Our conversations with risk professionals tell us that, when it comes to understanding cyber risk, what eludes many board members is the practical context – something that McDonough also addresses through a number of real-world examples and case studies, analysed through his experienced lens.

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