Five Cyber Security questions every CEO should be ready to answer

Cyber threats are an everyday business risk. Attacks are getting faster and more sophisticated, and supply‑chain exposure means your weakest vendor can become your problem. If you’re still relying on the basics, it’s time to go further. Your role isn’t just to keep your business running. it’s to protect your people, your reputation and your future.

If a cyber incident happened tomorrow, could you answer these five questions with confidence?

1) What’s our incident response plan — and when did we last test it?

A plan that lives on a server isn’t enough. It needs to be rehearsed, current and understood by everyone who has a role in the first hour.

Make it real: run realistic drills, include executive decision‑makers, and capture clear owners for comms, containment and recovery. Measure the basics: time to detect, time to contain, and time to restore. The first hour sets the tone for everything that follows.

Why it matters: An untested plan creates confusion and delays when you can least afford them. Practise reduces impact and speeds recovery.

2) What does our cyber insurance cover — and what doesn’t it?

Policies vary. Don’t discover the gaps mid‑crisis. Check what triggers a claim, the excess, limits, exclusions, and whether cover extends to third‑party damages, PR/crisis comms, data restoration, business interruption and regulatory costs.

Why it matters: Insurance isn’t a catch‑all. Knowing what’s covered lets you plan; technically, legally and financially, for what isn’t.

3) Who owns cyber risk — and do we see it at board level?

Cyber security isn’t just an IT concern. It’s a business risk that needs clear ownership and regular board‑level visibility. Ensure your CISO/IT lead reports on risk, readiness and investment, with decisions and actions logged.

Why it matters: Without accountability, priorities slip. Board oversight ensures cyber is resourced, measured and aligned to strategy.

4) How quickly can we detect and contain a breach?

Every minute counts. Ask your team: Do we have 24/7 monitoring? What’s our average detection time? Can we isolate affected systems immediately? If the answers are unclear, exposure is high. Consider managed detection and response to close the gap.

Why it matters: The longer an attacker stays in your environment, the greater the damage, from data theft to downtime and lost trust.

5) How many days of downtime can we realistically afford?

Every organisation has a threshold for business interruption. Ask your team: What’s our maximum tolerable downtime before operations, revenue or reputation take a hit? Is this documented and communicated to relevant stakeholders? Test your recovery plans against this limit, and factor in dependencies such as suppliers and regulatory obligations.

Why it matters: Knowing your downtime tolerance ensures crisis response is focused and realistic. If you underestimate, the costs escalate; if you overestimate, you risk unnecessary panic or wasted resources.

Taking charge: your role

Cyber security is a leadership issue. When leaders own and understand the risk, they protect systems, safeguard people, brand and momentum. If any of these answers give you pause, we’ll help you close the gaps with practical steps that fit where you are today.

Understand your Risk with BCN

• Prepare and practise: We co‑create response playbooks and run realistic simulations with your team.
• See and stop threats faster: 24/7 monitoring and rapid containment, aligned to your environment.
• Protect what matters: Data discovery, classification and backup strategies that match your risk.
• Make it stick: Clear, people‑first education that turns awareness into everyday habits.

What to do next

• Curious about your risk? Our Free Secure Score Assessment is the first step. Find out more here.
• Contact us, our security experts are ready to help you on your security journey to discuss where you are now and where you want to go.