Carnegie Mellon University

Cybersecurity Accountability and the Corporate Board

Enhance your understanding of cybersecurity and become the board-level translator of cyber risks and their relationship to business impact.

Every business, no matter the size, can be hit with a cybersecurity crisis and successful outcomes favor the prepared. Cyberattacks continue to escalate, disrupting core business activities, the global economy, and our way of life.

It is essential that today’s corporate boards and business leaders understand and assist with driving cybersecurity accountability across the organization to protect critical assets. More recently, the United States Congress has put forward pending legislation that would require publicly-traded companies to disclose whether any board member has “expertise or experience in cybersecurity” or, if not, how the board has taken cybersecurity into account in support of the business. Is your boardroom ready to address these challenges going forward?

The Cybersecurity Accountability and the Corporate Board executive education program provides participants with clear and concise cybersecurity considerations that all directors and executive leaders must be aware of to defend the business. Each topic is purposefully designed to help participants understand and manage cybersecurity accountability in pragmatic terms, free of jargon and technical fog.

Through a series of lectures, anecdotal examples, and case studies, this program will discuss essential cybersecurity measures that will significantly reduce the frequency and impact of targeted cyberattacks. This program is specifically designed for board members to further understand, take action on, and increase their cybersecurity acumen to address even the most advanced security threats impacting organizations. Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility and setting the tone for strong cyber defense begins with the board.

Think beyond the office to identify and mitigate cyber risks and its impact on business, driving accountability across your organization!

Take a deeper dive into the program by listening to our podcast - a conversation between lead faculty Greg Porter and Christopher Hetner, former Senior Cybersecurity Advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, about emerging cybersecurity regulations, their impact on business, and the need for board and executive participation!

Key Takeaways

  • Identify key components essential to cybersecurity oversight at the board level
  • Identify cybersecurity frameworks for governing and defending the organization
  • Explain cybersecurity considerations pertinent for the board
  • Challenge the business to answer difficult questions regarding cybersecurity operations
  • Describe different methods for assessment and measurement
  • Gain insights from an experienced cybersecurity leader

Who should attend?

This program is designed for board members and executive leaders that interact with business personnel tasked with defending the organization and/or responding to cybersecurity incidents. Aspiring leaders looking to sharpen their cybersecurity acumen and those within the organization that coordinate or interface with security leadership and corporate boards will also benefit from this program. The course is also valuable for those who are building, benchmarking, or looking to improve cybersecurity oversight processes.

* Special pricing is available for individual and group registrations. More information is available here.

Carnegie Mellon welcomes all individuals to participate in and attend Executive Education programs and events, on campus and/or online, as outlined in the university’s Statement of Assurance.

Additionally, we welcome the opportunity to accommodate requests for support for guests, visitors, and alumni with disabilities. To discuss your individual or group accommodation requests, please contact Carnegie Mellon's Office of Disability Resources at least two weeks in advance of your program start date.

Contact Executive Education at Carnegie Mellon

Contact a program director at 412-268-2304 or exec-director@andrew.cmu.edu to learn more.

Get answers to common inquiries by visiting our frequently asked questions page.