A.T. Kearney partners with the Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Centre

Cyber security is becoming increasingly important to companies as their digital exposure grows through the adoption of new technologies and business models. Protecting companies from cyber crime has in recent years found its way higher up the corporate agenda, as the risks increase and new regulations are brought online. To better support their respective clients become more digitally secure, A.T. Kearney and the Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Centre have joined forces.

In recent years cyber security has become an increasingly prominent issue for businesses, with more than 500,000 incidents per day noted and an estimated yearly cost of around $400 billion. As digital technologies mature, new regulations, more sophisticated criminals and increasing use of digital technologies are putting companies under pressure to meet compliance requirements, repel cyber criminals, protect property and invest in insurance, should something go wrong.

Recent studies highlight that governance remains important to the success of cyber security programme success. Board and C-Suite buy-in and leadership supports an environment in which even disengaged lower level employees take more care, while providing funding for ‘cost-post’ IT cyber security departments to implement various strategies required to prevent network penetration.

In a bid to support organisations improve the effectiveness of company leadership in the domain of cyber security, the Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Centre (KCGC) at American University was founded. The centre promotes “good governance” across the cyber security value chain, from the preparation phase to actual response to breaches. The centre is able to reach those goals, according to its stated objectives, through “collaborative, objective, multidisciplinary research related to cybersecurity governance, enterprise risk management, and cyber risk management across business, legal, public policy, and public administration disciplines.”

The partnership will see A.T. Kearney work together with the KCGC to perform research and deliver educational programmes that support boards and C-Suites to rise to the challenges posed by the current insecurity environment prevailing across the cyber security domain.

Howard Steinman, Partner at A.T. Kearney, says he is excited to join the Kogod Cybersecurity Governance Centre. William DeLone, co-executive Director at the institution, adds, “Partnering with one of the top management consulting firms is an important step for the Centre. A.T. Kearney adds important depth across a broad-range of strategic issues. We share a strong desire to identify and share best practices in cybersecurity governance.”

Richard Schroth, co-executive Director at KCGC, continues, “A.T. Kearney’s real-world experience is critical to the sort of research we are engaged in at KCGC. With their support we will reach our goal of helping corporate leaders understand the standards necessary to steer their companies during an ongoing period of significant change.”

Cyber partnerships

Consulting firms have, with the aim of capitalising on growing demand for cyber security services in the market, of late, been busy striking alliances with tech experts. London-based Elixirr, for instance, works together with CyberInt, PwC has collaboration deals with Skyhigh Networks and Tanium, and IBM has joined forces with AT&T.