Statistics show that the fallout from successful cybersecurity incidents has both financial and business-related consequences. A data breach costs the average enterprises approximately $60,000, and in extreme situations, small and medium-sized businesses may go out of business within 6 months from the date the incident occurred. Thus, to determine whether the financial cost of successful hacking attempts, businesses have turned to insurance to deal with extensive losses.

Ransomware is a form of malware cybercriminals use to encrypt data stored in computers or online servers. Cybercriminals demand payment to release the encryption key blocking the user from accessing the encrypted data. Payment is typically made through diverse mediums, including digital currency like Bitcoin. Once payment has been made, the victim is generally provided with instructions on decrypting their data.

A penetration test or pen test is a simulated cyber-attack against computer systems, application systems, and IT infrastructure to discover loopholes. These simulated cyber-attacks come in diverse forms with the intent of breaching a system through its servers, web or mobile applications, and other endpoints. The purpose of pen testing is to discover exploitable vulnerabilities in a controlled setting before cybercriminals take advantage of them.

Is cyber insurance the silver bullet to cover your organization from an attack? What lies within the fine print of a cyber insurance policy? These questions posed along with important considerations when choosing how to implement cyber security insurance properly.