Cyber crime: boards are “groping in the dark”

Cyber security is one of the biggest talking points in business at the moment. Yet, there are no forums in which business leaders can gather to discuss cyber threats and many organisations remain in the dark. Nurole, the board-level headhunting platform, wants to change this.

This week, Nurole held a roundtable discussion on the topic of digital and cyber expertise at board level. In her opening remarks, Susie Cummings, Founder of Nurole, observed that cyber security is like the proverbial elephant in the room—a threat everyone is aware of but no one dares mention.

The engaging discussion that followed was chaired by David Tyler (Chairman, J. Sainsbury, Hammerson, and Domestic & General Group) and supported by thought-provoking speeches from Ewan Lawson (Senior Research Fellow for cyber warfare at the Royal United Services Institute and cyber warfare expert) and Anthony Hilton (Business Editor of the Evening Standard and cyberspace thought leader).

With input from twenty leading non-executives and digital experts, the roundtable discussion produced much food for thought.

David Tyler remarked that the distinction between digital and non-digital organisations is becoming less and less clear, as companies feel pressured to have strong digital presences. He also distinguished between the younger generation of “digital natives” and the older generation of those who are merely “digitally savvy,” suggesting that the lack of awareness surrounding cyber threats may be a generational issue.

Ewan Lawson reported a significant change in the spectrum of cyber threats. Attacks may be perpetrated not only by organised cyber criminals, but also by hacktivists, and state actors.

Anthony Hilton brought the roundtable’s attention to the sheer frequency of cyber attacks, arguing that most businesses do not have a clear understanding of online crime and so are merely “groping in the dark” in an attempt to protect themselves.

Nurole strives to tackle this lack of cyber awareness by continuing to help businesses find the best digital expertise at board level.