The Cyber Insurance Imperative

THE EDUCATION SECTOR DODGED A BULLET! A recent cyber attack on an educational technology provider whose software is used by thousands of school districts and universities put the data of millions of students at risk. The company was able to resolve the threat, but this incident underscores the vulnerability organizations face when they entrust their SaaS providers with confidential data. In this episode, David discusses some of the technical and contractual steps that can be taken to reduce your exposure to these Single-Point-of Failure incidents.

ON A GLASSWING AND A PRAYER! Following the discovery by Claude Mythos of thousands of vulnerabilities in operating systems and web browsers, the company that created it delayed its release, instead opting to form a consortium of tech companies that could patch these vulnerabilities before they are exploited by hackers. In this episode, David explains why he believes this was the right move for the industry, and offers a solution to businesses looking to establish their own AI governance framework. (Note: the opinions expressed here are solely my own and not necessarily those of my employer).

HOW NOT TO HANDLE A CYBER INCIDENT: Well-intentioned small business owners often make missteps in the hours and days following a cyber attack that can have a detrimental impact on the availability of coverage under their Cyber Insurance policy. In this episode, David discusses his observations from working with clients and offers some practical suggestions around integrating insurance into your incident response plan.

THE RISE OF AI LIABILITY: Three states have already passed laws holding the creators of chatbots liable for harm that users allegedly sustain through the use of such technology, and another 27 are considering similar legislation. In this episode, David discusses the rationale for these laws, how they clash with the White House's move toward a national framework, and some best practices that businesses can institute to stay ahead of the oncoming legislative onslaught.

PICKING UP WHERE TRADITIONAL CYBER INSURANCE LEAVES OFF. In this episode, David sits down with Karl Pedersen of Crown Jewel Insurance to discuss the challenge of securing coverage for theft or loss of trade secrets and intellectual property. Karl explains why insuring this risk has proven elusive historically, and the solution his firm has developed for clients who qualify (Note: Karl appears as a guest on the podcast as a thought leader; there is no organizational affiliation between Crown Jewel and Alliant).

A ROOT CAUSE OF CYBER RISK: DOMAIN SECURITY, DNS, AND BRAND IMPERSONATION. In this episode, David sits down with Vincent D'Angelo of CSC Digital Brand Services to discuss how businesses can protect themselves against phishing, website spoofing, and other forms of fraud and intellectual property theft.

A CHANGING PLAYING FIELD. In this episode, David sits down with retired Colonel and Air Force Academy Professor Jud Dressler to discuss the evolving threat environment of Cyber risk and what businesses should be doing in the areas of social engineering, vendor management, and data privacy litigation.

AND NOW COMES THE LITIGATION. A medical device manufacturer is facing a potential class action in the wake of a recent cyber attack which allegedly exposed the personal information of millions of customers and employees. In this episode, David discusses the allegations in the complaint, as well as what companies should be doing to safeguard themselves against legal exposure arising from a data breach.

A CHALLENGING TIME. Amidst calls for a cyberattack against the West by an Iranian backed syndicate, David examines whether and under what circumstances underwriters might attempt to apply the "war exclusion" under a Cyber Insurance policy.

WHEN IS A SUBLIMIT NOT A SUBLIMIT? Despite enhanced security controls on the part of businesses, some insurers are still attempting to apply ransomware sub-limits across all insuring agreements in a Cyber policy. In this episode, David discusses a recent ruling by a U.S. District Court judge which refused to apply ambiguous policy wording against an Insured, and why these sub-limits are so 2020.