• Business data breaches becoming more problematic

    A new survey finds that over a third of U.S. businesses suffered a data breach in the previous year.
    Dec. 11, 2017
    2 min read
    Trucker 6208 Cyberlock1 1

    As the trucking industry becomes more “digitized,” just like most of the American business community, worries regarding hacking and other “data attacks” are growing – and for good reason, as businesses are suffering more data breaches than many might think.

    A new survey compiled for The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company (HSB), which is part of global insurance firm Munich Re, discerned that almost one-third of U.S. businesses (29%) experienced a data breach within the previous year, with eight in 10 spending at least $5,000 to respond to it.

    The HSB survey, conducted by Zogby Analytics, also found that almost half of the breaches (47%) were caused by a vendor or contractor working for a business, followed by employee negligence (21%) and lost or stolen mobile devices or storage media (20%).

    “The results highlight how closely our economy and society are interconnected digitally,” said Timothy Zeilman, vice president for HSB, in a statement.

    “Almost all of our personal and business data can be accessible on the Internet through online business connections, websites and social media,” he added. “And that exposes our private information to attacks from hackers and cyber thieves.”

    In two-thirds of the cases involving data breaches, the businesses reported their reputation was negatively affected. When asked what the biggest hurdle would be for their organization to respond to a data breach, 51% said lack of knowledge and 41% a lack of resources.

    The financial impact of a data breach proved considerable as well, according to HSB’s poll, as 27% of the businesses spent between $5,000 and $50,000 to respond and 30% spent between $50,000 and $100,000.

    About the Author

    American Trucker staff

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from In the Cab

    Josh Fisher | FleetOwner
    Wade Seaburg, chief revenue officer of Dragonfly Energy, explained how the Dragonfly IntelLigence technology works during a press conference at the American Trucking Associations’ 2024 Management Conference & Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee.
    With a new app and smart technology, drivers and fleets can see how the lithium batteries powering their APUs will maintain enough charge to power them through entire rest periods...
    Isaac Instruments
    The position of an ELD is prime real estate for a portable computer that interfaces with a fleet's transportation management system.
    The ELD in a truck cabin can go far beyond just logging hours—it is a prime opportunity for a device that can improve safety and efficiency.
    "Yellowstone" | Paramount
    When Kevin Costner is not playing John Dutton on 'Yellowstone,' he's writing and narrating stories about America's lesser known past for the app he co-founded, HearHere.
    Listening to Kevin Costner wax poetic and brutally honest about America’s past is just one reason to use the HearHere Road Companion app on long hauls.