The ALS Group Risk Management Articles

Nearly every industry and data type is at risk for data breach. The 2013 Trustwave Global Security Report is out with some disquieting findings. Some of the top data-related tactical threats facing companies in 2012 were:

Think about how many times in the past year you have entered private information onto a website’s “secure” system; your name, credit card information, date of birth, social security number, billing address, mailing address, and/or security questions and answers and that’s how many times you were exposed to identity theft.   Each bit of information you provide online can be used by hackers to steal your identity. A cyber security breach is one of the most dangerous and harmful risks for any company regardless of the size or industry.  As highlighted throughout our Cyber Risk blog series, it is nearly impossible to be 100% protected from cyber criminals.  While having the

Despite being ripe with positive, useful and educational information, the internet is chock-full of potent dangers, and your children can get into quite a few uncomfortable and, sometimes, dangerous situations whether it is intentional or not. As highlighted in our past blogs on this topic, if you have a standard Homeowners policy, you will likely have little protection from the legal liabilities that can result from inappropriate actions via the internet.

What is your business doing to protect itself from the cyber liability threats it faces?  Hackers see small businesses as cash cows and the number of cyber breaches has grown exponentially in recent years.  Smaller to midsize businesses have become the quick and easy target for cyber criminals because of easy access and high payout. As a business owner, you must evaluate your risks and have mitigation strategies in place.

The face of the American workforce is changing. Today’s organizations include many employees who work almost solely from home. Many of today’s managers agree that virtual work saves organizations money and, actually, increases productivity. However, home-based employees create new risks for employers.

One of the most prominent areas of marketing today involves social media.  Right now you are reading this posting via an on-line platform and, while this is becoming the norm, the risks social media brings are far from “normal”.

Parents need to think about having a conversation with their teens (and tweens) about safe behaviors when they are behind the wheel… of Social Media that is.  Just as youthful drivers have risks while operating a motor vehicle, there are dangers from the use of social media that can be just as risky. Parents should develop and enforce their own rules of the road to prepare their children for navigating through the online world – whether it’s social media, texting or the general use of smartphones.

Imagine a hacker infiltrated your website; the names, contact information, credit cards and social security information of every customer (and/or employee) are now being sold on the cyber-crime black market. Your website is no longer accessible, your overall reputation is tarnished and your company may possibly never recover.  This has been the reality for many businesses. The “risk mitigation” steps to avoid these events are where the focus really needs to be placed. Buying insurance, while nice, will not insulate the Company from all the “nasty” things that will likely occur from a data or privacy breach.