Assignment 1 Semester 1 2026
Unique number:
Due Date: 1 April 2026
BOARD’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMERGING CYBERSECURITY RISKS UNDER KING
IV PRINCIPLE 11
INTRODUCTION
In terms of King IV Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa (2016), Principle
11 requires that the governing body assume responsibility for the governance of risk to
support the organisation in setting and achieving its strategic objectives. Risk governance is
not an operational IT function; it is a strategic board responsibility. By delegating
cybersecurity entirely to the IT department and exercising limited oversight, the board failed
to treat risk as integral to strategic decision-making. In a digital financial services
environment, cybersecurity is an emerging and strategic risk that directly affects stakeholder
trust, regulatory compliance, and long-term sustainability..
In the case of the South African financial services company, the board’s delegation of
cybersecurity entirely to the IT department, coupled with limited oversight, reflects a failure
to fulfil its governance obligations under King IV. The subsequent cyberattack and
Termsrisk
compromise of sensitive client information demonstrate deficiencies in strategic of use
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governance rather than merely
operational IT failure.
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