Over a dozen U.S. universities care using the book as a text in their graduate-level business programs.
Cybersecurity for Executivesis available onAmazon.
Below is the introduction of the book.
INTRODUCTION
“There are two kinds of companies.
Those that have been hacked, and those that have been hacked but dont know it yet.
Threats to your vital information are real and intensifying.
Cybersecurity is a relatively new discipline.
Many people believe cybersecurity is something you’re able to buy in increments, much like a commodity.
Still, others believe it is an administrative and technical program solely in the realm of IT professionals.
Some think it refers only to protection against hackers.
We view cybersecurity as a holistic set of activities that are focused on protecting an organizations vital information.
Cybersecurity includes the technologies employed to protect information.
It includes the processes used to create, manage, share, and store information.
It includes the practices such as workforce training and testing to ensureinformation is properly protected and managed.
In todays business environment, cybersecurity is not just a technical issue, it is a business imperative.
1.2 CYBERSECURITY IS A BUSINESS IMPERATIVE
Executives across every business sector are increasingly concerned about cybersecurity.
Lawsuits lodged in the wake of cybersecurity breaches continue to mount in volume and damages.
Clients expect that their personal and financial information will be protected from unauthorized disclosure and possible exploitation.
They want to invest wisely in cybersecurity, but dont want to break the bank.
Many dont know how their investments in cybersecurity draw positive returns.
The resulting language gaps create barriers that sometimes produce organizational friction, lack of communication, and poor decision-making.
Cybersecurity is not solely a technical issue.
It affects every business function.
Every activity in virtually every business relies on information to maintain a competitive advantage.
Managers at every level need to understand how investing in cybersecurity produces effective, efficient, and secure results.
That, in turn, produces value.
Cybersecurity is about risk management.
It is not just about IT.
Rather, it is a multidisciplinary approach to managing risk, a principal concern of every executive.
All are highly intelligent and exceptionally talented individuals who understand their businesses inside and out.
Nonetheless, many express great frustration in understanding cybersecurity and integrating it intotheir management processes.
Perhaps you share some of these same concerns.
If you do, you are not alone.
In todays business environment, asking the right questions is indispensable for executives at all levels.
According to Gary Cohen, leaders cant know everything, especially today.
Upon reflecting on our manuscript, we’re confident that we’ve done a commendable job in this regard.
We trust you’ll concur with our assessment.
Here are the U.S. DHSs cybersecurity questions for CEOs9.
Five questions CEOs should ask about cyber risks1.
How does our cybersecurity program apply industry standards and best practices?4.
How comprehensive is our cyber incident response plan?
How often is it tested?
Todays executives seemingly are always connected to the Internet in one way or another.
While in their office, they rely upon a host of IT to conduct their daily business.
Such accessibility requirements create interesting cybersecurity challenges.
Many executives and those who work for them frequently perform work on their personal computing devices.
Accessed on December 13, 2013.
Accessed on December 13, 2013
3.
George Polya, How to Solve it, A New Aspect of Mathematical Method, Princeton University Press.
Princeton, NJ, 1945, p. 6.
In this case, we believe both are apropos.
IBM Global Technology Services, IBM Security Services Cyber Security Intelligence Index, July 2013, p. 3.
Peter Drucker, The Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University, April 22, 2011, http://thedx.druckerinstitute.com/2011/04/the-fab-five/.
Accessed on December 13, 2013.
Gary B. Cohen, Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions, McGraw-Hill.
New York, NY, 2009, p. 1.
In this question, our intent is to convey the latter meaning.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Publication,https://www.us-cert.gov/sites/default/files/publications/DHS-Cybersecurity-Questions-for-CEOs.pdf.
We recommend you avoid doing work on vacation.
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