Why GRC is the Foundation of Cyber Resilience

Cybersecurity has shifted from being a back-office technical function to a board-level priority. Global cybercrime costs are projected to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 (Cybersecurity Ventures), making resilience not only a defensive requirement but a core business imperative.

At the same time, regulatory expectations are intensifying worldwide:

• In Europe, the DORA regulation requires financial firms to prove they can withstand and recover from ICT disruptions.

• In the United States, the SEC mandates disclosure of material cyber incidents within four business days, alongside greater transparency in governance and risk oversight.

• In the Middle East, regulators are moving beyond compliance checklists to emphasize business continuity, incident response, and third-party oversight as part of national cybersecurity strategies.

• Across Asia, authorities such as Singapore’s MAS, Japan’s ISMAP, and Hong Kong’s HKMA require organizations not just to maintain controls but to demonstrate their ability to sustain operations during disruption.

Regulators across all regions are converging on a resilience-first model, shifting expectations from compliance on paper to demonstrable operational continuity.

Despite this, many organizations remain underprepared. According to PwC’s 2024 Global Digital Trust Insights survey:

• 39% of executives admit their organizations lack enterprise-wide visibility into cyber risks.

• 44% say compliance is managed in silos, creating duplication across frameworks.

• Only 27% report having resilience metrics available at the board level.

The reality is that many enterprises are technically “compliant” but still unable to prove they can withstand or recover from disruption. Risk registers remain fragmented, evidence requests overwhelm teams, and board reports too often focus on certifications instead of resilience.

True resilience requires a unified GRC model — where governance provides oversight, risk management drives prioritization, compliance ensures discipline, and assurance validates effectiveness.

The Role of GRC in Cyber Resilience

Resilience is the ability to absorb shocks, adapt to disruption, and continue delivering critical services. Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Assurance (GRC) together provide the framework for making resilience measurable, repeatable, and visible at the board level.

• Governance ensures oversight and accountability at the executive and board level.

• Risk management identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes exposures consistently across the enterprise.

• Compliance enforces discipline, reduces duplication, and ensures traceability.

• Assurance validates effectiveness and builds confidence with regulators and stakeholders.

When integrated, GRC transforms cybersecurity from a checklist activity into a strategic business capability.

Case Study: A Financial Institution Under Pressure

A regional financial institution engaged Seen Group after recognizing that certifications alone would not satisfy regulators or protect against disruption.

Despite multiple credentials, several challenges persisted:

• Audit fatigue – Separate evidence requests across frameworks were overloading already thin teams.

• Siloed risk registers – Risks were tracked inconsistently across business units, leaving no enterprise-wide view.

• Limited board visibility – Updates focused on audit status rather than operational resilience.

• Vendor oversight gaps – Third-party risks were monitored inconsistently and reactively.

• Control framework gaps – Controls were inconsistently applied, making it difficult to demonstrate effectiveness across business units.

On paper, the bank was compliant. In reality, its ability to withstand disruption was unproven.

Addressing the Gaps

1. Reducing Audit Fatigue (Compliance)

We created a single control set and central evidence repository. This eliminated duplicate requests, reduced audit strain by over 30%, and ensured the bank was always audit-ready.

2. Creating a Single View of Risk (Risk)

We consolidated risks into one enterprise-wide register, defined board-approved risk tolerance, and introduced indicators to track trends. Leadership gained a single source of truth for prioritization.

3. Improving Board Visibility (Governance & Assurance)

We established a cybersecurity steering committee and developed board-ready dashboards. These highlighted resilience metrics such as incident response times and recovery performance, shifting conversations from certifications to operational readiness.

4. Strengthening Vendor Oversight (Risk & Assurance)

We introduced structured third-party monitoring, identified 20 high-risk vendors, and implemented remediation plans within six months. Oversight shifted from reactive to proactive.

5. Implementing a Unified Control Framework (Governance & Compliance)

We designed and rolled out a standardized control framework applied consistently across business units. This closed gaps, improved control maturity, and provided credible evidence of effectiveness.

Outcomes: From Compliance to Confidence

Within the first two quarters of the engagement, the institution achieved measurable improvements:

• Audit fatigue reduced by more than 30% through streamlined evidence management.

• Board confidence increased with visibility into resilience metrics instead of audit status.

• Integrated risk management enabled consistent prioritization and accountability across business units.

• Vendor oversight strengthened, with high-risk third parties addressed through structured remediation.

• Control maturity improved, with consistent application of controls and demonstrable effectiveness across the enterprise.

Resilience became a defined, measurable business capability, tied directly to enterprise risk management and visible at the board level.

Key Insights

• Compliance is not enough — resilience requires integration across governance, risk, compliance, and assurance.

• Boards need visibility, not checklists — executives require metrics tied to resilience outcomes.

• Third-party risk is enterprise risk — weak vendors create systemic exposure.

• Controls must be consistent — a unified framework is essential to close gaps.

• Resilience builds trust — with regulators, customers, and investors.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Resilience

The future of cybersecurity is resilience-by-design:

• Regulatory stress tests will require proof of continuity under simulated disruption.

• Cross-border expectations will grow as supply chains and ecosystems expand.

• Real-time resilience metrics will become standard in board oversight.

• Customer trust will hinge on demonstrable resilience, not certifications alone.

Organizations that treat resilience as a compliance byproduct will fall short. Those that embed GRC into their operations will be able to withstand disruption, maintain regulator confidence, and differentiate themselves in the market.

Closing Thoughts

Every organization’s path to resilience is unique, but the principles remain consistent: clear governance, integrated risk management, sustainable compliance, and independent assurance.

Seen Group partners with institutions to transform cybersecurity from fragmented activities into a measurable, board-ready capability.

Let’s start the conversation.