Cyber attacks are real. Corporations and individuals alike must take action to protect themselves. Companies specifically have a duty to protect customers' personal information and are highly susceptible to attack. A new threat has emerged known as the "hacktivist." These cyber hackers are going after companies that are not taking environmental, cultural, social, and political issues seriously.

Companies that claim to care about specific issues but have a poor follow-through history are putting a target on their backs. According to a University of Delaware study, companies that are not forthright about their intentions are more likely to draw the attention of hackers and result in an increased risk of a data breach. The study, Too Good to Be True: Firm Social Performance and the Risk of Data Breach by Professor John D'Arcy, shows hackers taking on the role of cyber activists.

The study warns that promoting corporate responsibility for a particular environmental or social issue should reflect the firm's core business culture. If the "hacktivists" feel that the information is merely for publicity's sake and not genuine, the firm may find themselves in the sights of a hacker wanting to make an example of them. The study also showed that corporations with more meaningful cultural responsibility practices were at a lower risk of targeted attacks. To learn more about the study, please check out this article by insurancejournal.com.

Understanding cyber risk for your firm is essential. If you are interested in assessing your firm's risk level and learning more about cyber insurance, contact AdvoCap Insurance Agency, Inc.

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