Is the board's involvement in cybersecurity really that critical?

Business IT, and information security leaders alike repeat it all of the time: cybersecurity is a board-level issue. Assuming that’s true, and many organizations believe it is, what can the board of directors actually do when it comes to improving cybersecurity efforts?
Most experts agree that one of the most important things boards can do is to set the security tone for the organization. (Also read "Six reasons why boards of director must be engaged in cybersecurity".)
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