Your Company’s Cyber Insurance Coverage is Making It a Target

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The sharp spike in ransomware attacks has increasingly turned cybersecurity insurance coverage from an optional add-on into an essential safeguard for businesses. Yet, a dark trend is emerging: the safety net of insurance may paradoxically mark you out as prey for cybercriminals.

Cyber attacks are becoming more frequent, sophisticated, and severe. According to one report, 70% of businesses fell victim to ransomware attacks in 2022. Moreover, phishing attacks rose by 48% in the first half of the same year, with reports of 11,395 incidents costing businesses $12.3 million.

And in an increasingly dangerous cyber threat landscape, it’s easy to see why cyber insurance is becoming an increasingly attractive prospect for businesses worldwide. But Is cybersecurity insurance really securing your business, or is it setting you up to become the next target in the fast-paced, relentless world of cyber warfare? Let’s get into it.

Cyber Insurance Adoption is Surging

The global market for cybersecurity insurance is surging. It stood at $7.60 billion in 2021 but is expected to grow to a whopping $20.43 billion by 2027.

As businesses become increasingly digital, they inevitably grow more vulnerable to cyber threats. This escalating risk has led to a boom in the demand for cyber insurance. A key reason for this surge is the financial protection it offers. When a cyber-attack strikes, a company faces a multitude of costs ranging from ransom payments to data recovery, crisis management, and even lawsuits from customers or partners.

The benefits of cyber insurance extend far beyond a simple payout. Companies benefit from the insurers’ wealth of knowledge about cyber risk management, which helps craft robust cyber risk mitigation strategies. Furthermore, in the aftermath of a breach, insurance providers often offer expert resources to mitigate the fallout. This includes PR consultants to manage potential reputational damage, forensic teams to identify security loopholes and legal counsel for possible regulatory penalties. For many companies, the ability to access these resources swiftly and efficiently is invaluable, making cyber insurance coverage an increasingly attractive investment

Companies with Cyber Insurance Become Targets

According to a survey by Barracuda Networks, 77% of organizations with cyber insurance were hit at least once, compared to 65% of organizations without insurance. And more worryingly, of the companies that had cyber insurance, 39% paid the ransom.

The report also highlighted other worrying trends – like the fact that insured companies were 70% more likely to be hit with ransomware attacks multiple times.

Why Do Cybercriminals Target Companies with Cyber Insurance Coverage?

  • Increased visibility: Companies with cyber insurance often advertise it as a selling point or include it in their public disclosures. This increased visibility can attract cybercriminals who specifically target companies with cyber insurance, knowing that they might have valuable assets.
  • Perceived financial resources: Cybercriminals may assume that companies with cyber insurance have sufficient financial resources to pay for potential losses or to cover ransom demands. This perception can make them more likely to target these companies in the hopes of securing a larger payout.
  • Inadequate security measures: Some companies may view cyber insurance as a substitute for implementing robust cybersecurity measures. They might become complacent, assuming that their insurance coverage will mitigate any potential damages. This attitude can lead to insufficient investments in security measures, making these companies easier targets for cybercriminals.
  • Potential for higher payouts: Cyber insurance policies typically cover financial losses resulting from cyberattacks. Cybercriminals are aware of this and may specifically target companies with insurance coverage, hoping to inflict significant damages that will result in larger insurance claims and potentially higher payouts.
  • Delayed detection and response: Some companies with cyber insurance may prioritize filing an insurance claim over immediate detection and response to a cyber incident. Cybercriminals can exploit this window of opportunity, knowing that it might take longer for the targeted company to identify the breach and take appropriate action, giving them more time to carry out their malicious activities undetected.

Is There More to the Story?

Barracuda’s report paints a worrying picture, and understandably, companies considering cyber insurance may now feel more reluctant to go ahead. However, the situation is more complex.

For example, cyber insurance coverage has proven to offer several benefits to companies, not just in terms of recovering financial losses and repairing reputations but also in bolstering security. For example, many cyber insurers now require that their clients meet minimum security requirements. These include enabling MFA, having antivirus and malware detection software, a robust firewall, and an endpoint detection and response (EDR) tool. Insurers also often mandate that clients have secure and resilient backups.

These security measures encouraged (or demanded) by cyber insurers help reduce the likelihood of an attack and reduce the probability of victims paying the ransom. For example, if you have regular secure, resilient backups, you can recover the data yourself.

What Can Companies Do?

Beyond choosing to get cyber insurance or not, there are several things companies can do to safeguard their networks from ransomware attacks.

  • Prioritize cybersecurity investments: Companies should allocate sufficient resources to implement robust cybersecurity measures, including regular security assessments, network monitoring, threat intelligence, and employee training.
  • Develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy: Companies should create a well-defined cybersecurity strategy that addresses potential vulnerabilities, establishes incident response protocols, and emphasizes continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving threats.
  • Implement multi-layered defense: Deploy a combination of preventive, detective, and responsive security measures, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, encryption, endpoint protection, and strong access controls, to create multiple layers of defense against cyber threats.
  • Conduct regular security assessments: Perform regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests to identify and address weaknesses in the company’s infrastructure, applications, and security controls.
  • Implement strict access controls: Limit user privileges and implement robust authentication mechanisms, such as two-factor authentication, to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data.
  • Establish incident response plans: Develop and regularly test incident response plans to ensure that the company can effectively detect, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents, minimizing potential damages.

Final Thoughts

While possessing cyber insurance coverage can inadvertently attract cybercriminal attention, companies can mitigate this risk by adopting a proactive cybersecurity approach. By investing in robust security measures, promoting employee awareness, and maintaining a solid cyber defense strategy, companies can safeguard their digital assets and reduce the likelihood of becoming targets for cyberattacks, regardless of their insurance coverage.

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