With identity theft causing tens of billions of dollars in extra business expenses annually, organizations face an array of direct and indirect costs from data breaches, according to a new white paper from Business Insurance.
Risk managers at all organizations should work to minimize their exposure to cyber risks by “expecting the unexpected” and adopting various strategies, both organizational and technological, according to the white paper by cyber risk and insurance expert Mark Greisiger, president of Philadelphia-based Network Standard Corp., which does business as NetDiligence.
Identity theft affects about 10 million U.S. residents a year and causes an estimated $50 billion in unnecessary business expenses, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
The theft of personal information costs organizations an average of about $710,000 per incident, according to an annual FBI study. And the sources of those extra expenses are numerous, according to the white paper, “Cyber Risks: How to ProtectYour Business in the Digital Age.”
Extra expenses can result from:
The white paper argues that organizations should develop a layered approach to cyber risk management and includes practical advice on how risk managers can achieve that goal. Strategies discussed include technological defenses, such as firewalls and encryption, and system management changes, such as effective password-protection policies.
Specialty insurance protection against cyber risks first was offered more than 10 years ago and is becoming more readily available, which is reflected in the directory of cyber insurers included in white paper, with about 20 insurers offering coverage.
To purchase the white paper, please visit www.businessinsurance.com/whitepapers.