What Your CEO Needs to Know About IT Security

A week does not seem to go by without breaking news of a new data security breach affecting numerous, well-known organizations in the United States. This fact alone has made information technology an important functional area of any business entity. So, it is now incumbent upon any Chief Executive Officer to stay on top of all aspects of the information technology roles in their organization, especially as it relates to data security. Technology permeates every aspect of a business, and IT must be managed from the top!

Historically, the role of IT staff was to facilitate increased staff productivity. The advent of advances in cloud technology and the widespread access to low-cost internet allow cybercriminals to wreak havoc from across the street or across the globe. This means that data protection, privacy, and security are now more important than ever to the IT professional. The regrettable truth is that a major cyber breach could result in the loss of proprietary and/or confidential information that could result in a business losing important sales revenue streams, exclusive intellectual property, and enormous profits — as well as its reputation. All too often, the worst case happens and the organization does not survive.