Title:
Translating Cybersecurity Assessment Outputs for Board-level Oversight

Authors:
Dr. Robb Shawe, Dr. Gilbert B. Mengnjo, USA

Abstract:

Boards of directors are increasingly held accountable for cybersecurity risk oversight across critical infrastructure sectors. In response, organizations routinely present cybersecurity assessment outputs—including maturity scores, dashboards, and compliance summaries—to support board decision-making. However, these materials often fail to provide boards with the clarity required to exercise effective oversight. The challenge is not a lack of information or excessive technical detail, but rather the absence of a structured translation that aligns assessment outputs with board responsibilities, risk appetite, and fiduciary duties. This qualitative, applied analysis examines how cybersecurity assessment outputs can be translated into governance-relevant narratives that support meaningful board-level oversight without oversimplifying risk. Drawing on risk communication, governance, and information-asymmetry perspectives, the article explains why current reporting practices underperform and proposes a translation-focused governance approach that links technical assessment results to accountability, prioritization, and executive action. The study contributes a board-centric framework to improve oversight effectiveness and reduce systemic cyber risk in critical infrastructure organizations.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijaemr.2026.11212