CISOs Spend Excessive Time Preparing Board Reports Amid Communication Gaps

A report by Pulse Security AI titled The CISO-Board Communication Gap found that 71% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) spend 10 or more hours preparing board reports. Boards prioritize evidence that security controls and architecture reduce business risk, emphasizing resilience, consequence, and decision relevance. CISOs report that translating technical findings into business language remains a significant time burden, with demands for simpler data delivery, improved frameworks, and better contextualization. Many organizations lack a formally defined cyber risk appetite, while board members frequently introduce external information into discussions. The report highlights persistent challenges in aligning cybersecurity metrics with board-level expectations.