29/09/2011

Executives do not understand the importance of implementing cyber security measures, it has been suggested.

According to Sir David Omand, former director of the government's spy agency Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), at least a quarter of boards do not realise what the subject is all about, Computing.co.uk reports.

He told the Cyber Security Forum 2011 there is a 'serious under-appreciation of the gravity of the issue' at executive level.

Sir David went on to suggest that the government needs to play its part in changing this current state of affairs.

'We need behavioural changes and that only comes from a compelling narrative. The government's security strategy should provide that,' he explained.

Sir Kevin Tebbit, another former GCHQ director, told the forum that boards struggle to see the value of cyber security because it doesn't provide a measurable return on investment.

Dinah Greek, news editor for fortnightly home computing magazine Computeractive, recently suggested companies need to ensure they have a clear cyber security framework in place and that all employees know about and understand it.