The Japan Pension Service's decision to not discuss the data breach that affected 1.25 million people at their latest board meeting shows a lack of concern.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, June 17, 2015 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It has emerged that the data breach that hit the Japan Pension Service, affecting 1.25 million people, was not discussed by the service’s board at its regular meeting, held just two weeks after the incident was discovered in May.

The president of the Japan Pension Service, Toichiro Mizushima, defended the organisation, claiming that the agenda was determined in advance and that the breach had not been confirmed at the time the meeting was planned.

Alan Calder, founder and executive chairman of international information security provider IT Governance, said the board’s action demonstrates a woeful lack of understanding:

“The fact that senior executives didn’t think it was appropriate to address this issue in their meeting is quite astounding. Whether they viewed the incident as unimportant or simply wanted to sweep it under the carpet and forget it ever happened we’ll never know. One thing we do know is that the way the Japan Pension Service’s board responded to the data breach displays an astonishing lack of concern for their customers, stakeholders and the industry they serve”.

Board awareness of information security risks remains a problem across all industries: according to PwC’s 2015 Global State of Information Security Survey, many boards “find it difficult to understand how security technology works and identify the related tactical risks”. As a result, security budgets remain static, and many organisations struggle to achieve adequate levels of information security.

According to IBM and Ponemon Institute's 2015 Cost of Data Breach Study: Japan, the average cost of a data breach in Japan is now ¥274 million (AUD$2.87 million), and the average cost of a lost or stolen record is ¥13,788 (AUD$144). Globally, the average cost of a data breach is US$3.79 million (AUD$4.89 million).

Alan Calder has written a pocket guide, Selling Information Security to the Board - A Primer, to explain information security to boards and help IT professionals persuade company directors to commit money and resources to information security initiatives.

Order your copy of Selling Information Security to the Board today: www.itgovernance.asia/p-647.aspx.

Alternatively, call IT Governance on 00 800 48 484 484 or email servicecentre@itgovernance.asia for more information on how IT Governance can help protect your organisation’s information security.

Melanie Watson
IT Governance
0845 070 1750
email us here

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