Technology initiatives are often complex, multi-layered efforts that reach across multiple areas of the business. System features and functionality may be the most interesting aspect of these projects, but executives need to maintain a focus on more foundational aspects, such as cybersecurity, to ensure that transformation activities don’t put the organization’s data, devices, or other network assets at risk.
Before any technology project begins, senior business leaders should ask a few questions to put cybersecurity activities on track for success.
Who will oversee the cybersecurity elements of this project?
Unless cybersecurity is your company’s core business, you may not have much in-house expertise to support the project. Identifying internal individuals who will be accountable for decision-making processes as well as select execution activities helps to surface gaps where other resources may be necessary. Executives should also understand the escalation paths the team will use for any security issues that arise during the project. Whether you assign the security lead role to one person or a small group, this step gives senior leaders and project team members crucial visibility into who’s responsible for day-to-day cybersecurity oversight, incident response, and vendor management.
How will we handle third-party security risks?
Most projects with a technology element involve external partners, such as cloud service providers or software vendors. The business should vet these third-party contributors to assess their security postures and use vendor contracts that proactively address cybersecurity issues and establish baseline requirements. That could include identifying individuals in vendor organizations that can access systems during the implementation phase, where and when access is allowed (onsite only versus remote, for example), and how ongoing vendor compliance will be monitored.
How will we track cybersecurity performance throughout the project?
You can’t simply hope that everyone is doing their part to maintain a strong security posture. Executives should work with the project team to identify the metrics and other data points that will be most useful for reviewing progress. The right measures will depend on the project, but leaders need to ensure that the metrics align with business needs. Once the project launches, regular reporting to executives ensures visibility and promotes accountability.
Who will conduct a cybersecurity risk assessment as part of this project?
Understanding the various systems, data, infrastructure components, and integrations that will be part of the project is a vital early step. This background information helps the project team identify potential vulnerabilities and can make the difference between proactively putting measures in place to thwart bad actors and scrambling to respond to a security incident. Assigning this critical activity ensures that everyone is aware of assessment’s value to the project as well as to the organization and its operations.
Will security incidents follow our normal response plan during this project?
The company’s existing incident response plan may or may not be suitable for potential project-related security events. Making that determination during the launch phase enables internal teams to make any necessary adjustments to the documented plan and have measures in place to detect, respond to, and recover from security incidents. Senior leaders can ensure the chosen response plan includes appropriate communication protocols and business continuity plans.
Which compliance frameworks apply to this project and its cybersecurity elements?
Your industry, region, types of data processed, and other factors will help determine if the project falls under regulatory oversight and how compliance rules will influence security-related activities or decisions. By establishing obligations up front, executives can help to direct the necessary resources for specific tasks. That could mean assigning additional staff to maintain documentation or designating a team to interact with auditors for required reviews.
FAQ: Cybersecurity & Executive Leadership in Tech Projects
What’s the most important cybersecurity question for executives to ask first?
Start by identifying who is responsible for cybersecurity decisions and escalation throughout the project lifecycle.
How can leaders ensure vendors meet cybersecurity expectations?
Use security-specific vendor contracts, access controls, and continuous monitoring to enforce standards and reduce risk.
Do all projects need a cybersecurity risk assessment?
Yes. Every technology initiative introduces new risks — early assessments uncover vulnerabilities before they cause damage.
Should incident response plans change for each project?
They should at least be reviewed and potentially adapted to reflect the project’s unique risk profile and systems.
What happens if a project ignores compliance at launch?
Non-compliance can result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and project delays due to costly retrofitting later on.
