Nearly half of UK board members feel at risk of cyber attack according to a survey exploring directors’ views on the global threat landscape, cybersecurity priorities, and relationships with CISOs.

The report, by cybersecurity and compliance company Proofpoint, found that globally nearly three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed feel at risk of a material cyber attack, a notable increase from 65% in 2022. In contrast, a year-to-year comparison shows that while almost half of UK board members (44%) feel their organisation is at risk of a material cyber attack, they are in fact much less concerned about this risk than previously (76% in 2022).

With geopolitical tensions, rises in disruptive ransomware and supply chain attacks, the threat landscape remains volatile, and cybersecurity continues to be a priority for board members globally. The emerging risk of AI tools such as ChatGPT are also a concern: 59% of global board members (41% in the UK) believe generative AI is a security risk for their organisation.

Global board members have those concerns even though 73% view cybersecurity as a priority, 72% believe their board clearly understands the cyber risks they face, and 70% believe they have adequately invested in cybersecurity.

The report – Cybersecurity: The 2023 Board Perspective – examines global, third-party survey responses from 659 board members at organisations with 5,000 or more employees across different industries. In June 2023, more than 50 board directors were surveyed in each market in 12 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The report explores three key areas, including the cyber threats and risks boardrooms face, their level of preparedness to defend against those threats, and their alignment with CISOs based on the results of Proofpoint’s earlier Voice of the CISO report. Globally, the findings showed a similar year-over-year increase in the number of CISOs who feel at risk and unprepared, and a closer alignment than before between board directors and security leaders.

Ryan Kalember, executive vice president of cybersecurity strategy at Proofpoint, said: “The newfound alignment between board members and their CISOs on cyber risk and preparedness is a positive sign that the two sides are working closer together and making progress. However, this growing alliance hasn’t yet delivered significant changes in cybersecurity posture, despite boards feeling good about the time and resources they’re investing to combat this risk.

“Our findings show that it remains a challenge to translate increased awareness into effective cybersecurity strategies that protect people and data. Growing even stronger board-CISO relationships – particularly in the UK, where our data shows the need for significant improvement in this area – will be instrumental in the months ahead so directors and security leaders can have more meaningful conversations and ensure they are investing in the right priorities.”

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