Why You Need a Cybersecurity Charter and How to Get It Approved

Cybersecurity Program Components Pyramid

As a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), you are responsible for protecting your organization from cyber threats and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and standards. However, you cannot do this alone. You need the support and buy-in from the top management and the board of directors to build and maintain an effective cybersecurity program.

A cybersecurity charter is a document that defines the purpose, scope, roles, and responsibilities of the cybersecurity function within your organization. It also establishes the authority and accountability of the CISO and the cybersecurity team, as well as the expectations and obligations of the other stakeholders.

A cybersecurity charter can help you:

• Align your cybersecurity strategy and objectives with the business goals and priorities

• Communicate the value and benefits of cybersecurity to the senior leadership and the board

• Gain the necessary resources, budget, and staff for your cybersecurity initiatives

• Foster a culture of security awareness and responsibility across the organization

• Enhance the governance and oversight of the cybersecurity program

• Demonstrate your compliance with the industry best practices and standards

However, creating a cybersecurity charter is not enough. You also need to get it approved and signed by the c-suite and the board executives. This can be a challenging task, especially if they do not fully understand or appreciate the importance of cybersecurity.

Here are some tips on how to get buy-in for your cybersecurity charter:

• Do your research. Before you present your cybersecurity charter, you need to understand the business context and the pain points of your audience. What are their goals, challenges, risks, and opportunities? How does cybersecurity relate to them? What are the potential costs and benefits of investing in cybersecurity? How can you quantify and measure the impact of cybersecurity on the business performance and reputation?

• Tailor your message. Depending on the level and role of your audience, you need to adjust your tone, language, and content. Avoid using technical jargon and acronyms that may confuse or alienate them. Instead, use simple and clear terms that they can relate to. Focus on the outcomes and benefits of cybersecurity, rather than the processes and details. Use stories, examples, and analogies to illustrate your points and make them memorable.

• Provide evidence and data. To support your claims and recommendations, you need to provide credible and relevant evidence and data. This can include statistics, benchmarks, case studies, testimonials, and best practices from your industry or other similar organizations. You can also use tools and frameworks, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework or the ISO 27001 standard, to show how your cybersecurity charter aligns with the widely accepted and recognized guidelines and principles.

• Anticipate and address objections. Be prepared to face some resistance or skepticism from your audience. They may have some questions, concerns, or doubts about your cybersecurity charter. For example, they may wonder how you will implement and monitor the charter, how you will handle the potential conflicts or trade-offs between security and business needs, or how you will ensure the compliance and accountability of the stakeholders. You need to anticipate and address these objections in advance, and provide clear and convincing answers and solutions.

• Ask for feedback and commitment. After you present your cybersecurity charter, you need to ask for feedback and commitment from your audience. Invite them to share their opinions, suggestions, and questions. Listen to them attentively and respectfully, and acknowledge their input. If they have any issues or reservations, try to resolve them as much as possible. Finally, ask them to approve and sign the charter, and express your appreciation and gratitude for their support and collaboration.

A cybersecurity charter is a powerful tool that can help you establish and enhance your cybersecurity program. However, you need to get the buy-in from the top management and the board of directors to make it effective and successful. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of getting your cybersecurity charter approved and signed, and generate support and buy-in for your cybersecurity program as a CISO. If you need help building a charter of your own, MP Cybersecurity Services can help!