NACD, Carnegie Mellon University, and Ridge Global Unveil Updated Cyber Certificate Program for Board Directors

The CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Program Adds Emerging Technologies

WASHINGTON, DC (August 31, 2022)— The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), the authority on boardroom practices representing more than 23,000 board members, today announced the release of new improvements to its CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Program.

The program, established in 2017 in partnership with the CERT Division of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University and Ridge Global, the firm founded by former governor of Pennsylvania Tom Ridge, has helped more than 700 board directors and executives reporting to boards to attain enhanced, board-specific cybersecurity literacy that they're bringing back to the organizations they serve. Increasingly, cybersecurity is cited by directors as an area where more boardroom expertise will be critical in the years ahead. According to the most recent survey data from NACD, 42 percent of public company board directors indicated that recruiting a director with cyber-risk knowledge would benefit their board.

"Board directors earning the CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight send a clear signal to management, investors, and other stakeholders that they are vigilant about the increasing threats to the assets of their businesses—including financial records and private personnel information—which directors have a duty to protect," said Governor Tom Ridge, the first US secretary of Homeland Security and chair of Ridge Global.

As part of recent updates to the CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Program, the Carnegie Mellon University team refreshed all course materials. A new module was added that addresses emerging technologies and tools that impact security practices, such as 5G, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and cloud security. New learning resources and reflection questions throughout the program are intended to enhance the overall experience.

"As with all things related to tech, cyber risk is a constantly evolving concept, and these updates to our CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Program are essential to keeping our course—and our directors—on the cutting edge of what's happening today," said NACD president and CEO Peter Gleason. "We're grateful to our partners at Carnegie Mellon University and Ridge Global for helping to make boards more knowledgeable about cyber risks through this thorough and accredited program."

The CERT Certificate in Cyber-Risk Oversight Program is open to NACD members and nonmembers. Directors who were enrolled in the program but had not yet started the course will automatically receive the updated version. All current certificate holders have access to the updated course materials and will be invited to participate, along with those pursuing certification, in an upcoming table-top exercise with Carnegie Mellon University staff.

More information on the program, including how to enroll, is available here.

About NACD
For more than 40 years, NACD has been on the leading edge of corporate governance, setting standards of excellence that have elevated board performance. NACD provides today's directors with insights and education that drive their mission forward, while preparing a new generation of boardroom leaders to meet tomorrow's biggest challenges. NACD is a community of more than 23,000 directors driven by a common purpose: to be trusted catalysts of economic opportunity and positive change—in businesses and in the communities they serve. To learn more about NACD, visit nacdonline.org.

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