New Research: The Confidence Gap Between CISOs and Their Boards Is Real, and It’s Measurable

Pulse Security AI's report, "The CISO-Board Communication Gap," presents findings from surveys and interviews showing that security leaders and boards lack a shared baseline for cyber risk appetite: only 12.5% of security leaders are very confident boards understand program status, 55% of boards have not formally defined risk appetite, and prep for board cycles consumes substantial time. The report highlights gaps in governance, escalation thresholds, and the role of third-party scores and incidents in shaping board understanding, and recommends practices to improve alignment and operationalize board-level cyber risk decisions.