CorporateGovernor white paper series

The CorporateGovernor white paper series explores a range of topics of concern to the governance community--the directors, officers, and executives responsible for ensuring that our public companies are run well and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Current and future topics range from fraud prevention and detection to financial reporting control and SOX compliance.

Our latest white paper: Covering your assets: A proactive approach to securing sensitive data

High-profile cyberattacks and breaches of information assets are common news items lately. As some companies suffer through public relations consequences and loss of business while restoring services, the issue of data security has risen in importance for all organizations.

Now more than ever before, organizations understand that failure to comply has real consequences, including fines and litigation. Without a plan for effective security, companies can experience productivity losses, customer defections and reputational damage.

Organizations need to adopt a strategic but practical risk-based approach to the use and protection of sensitive data. In this white paper, learn how to understand the location and flow of sensitive data and implement data leakage prevention. Read our illustrative case study on addressing a data leakage issue.

Download the white paper

Read the other issues of the CorporateGovernor white paper series:

• The blank sheet of paper: An old tool is new again explores the use of a blank sheet of paper approach by internal audit to design and deliver consultative business reviews.
• Zone of insolvency: Decision-making in times of distress presents an analysis of insolvency tests and other financial and nonfinancial indicators of distress. The paper also proposes a decision framework for directors and officers tasked with guiding companies in distress.
• Fraud in the economic recovery discusses the key issues organizations face when it comes to identifying, dealing with, and protecting themselves from two important types of fraud: fraud committed by or against a private enterprise and fraud committed by entities against the federal government.
• Enterprise risk management: Creating value in a volatile economy addresses the reasons why implementing an enterprise risk management (ERM) program can benefit companies in a down economy, and how ERM can help enhance business strategy.
• Hear that whistle blowing! Establishing an effective complaint-handling process addresses an important mandate of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act: the requirement that audit committees establish procedures for receiving, documenting, and handling complaints related to accounting and auditing matters.