For many organisations, cyber risk governance has improved significantly over the past few years. Boards now receive cyber updates, policies exist, and accountability is at least discussed.
But governance alone is no longer enough.
Across the UK and EU, regulators, insurers, and investors increasingly expect cyber risk assurance - evidence that governance is not only designed, but working in practice, over time.
This is a subtle but important shift.
Governance answers questions such as:
Assurance answers a different, harder question:
Can we prove that cyber risk is being managed effectively today - not last year?
Regulators are clear on this direction of travel. The Financial Conduct Authority has repeatedly emphasised that operational resilience (including cyber) must be demonstrable, not assumed. Similarly, the Information Commissioner's Office focuses enforcement on whether organisations can evidence reasonable and proportionate decision-making.
This is why one-off audits, annual certifications, and static dashboards no longer provide comfort at board level. They show intent, not assurance.
Cyber risk assurance requires:
Without this, boards are exposed, even if governance frameworks exist on paper.
At RockSec360, we see this gap repeatedly: organisations doing the right things, but unable to prove they are safe when it matters most.
That is why cyber risk assurance is no longer optional. It is now a board requirement - driven not by fear, but by accountability.
If governance defines responsibility, assurance provides confidence.
👉 Start with the Cyber Risk & Compliance Snapshot to understand your current assurance gap.