Data access, control and security is a concern for all organisations. But the stakes are higher than usual for some, such as insurance enterprises. Beyond that, data is intrinsic to a competitive insurance business.

Healthcare providers have to adhere to stricter data requirements than most other sectors. They are custodians of extensive Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Personal Healthcare Information (PHI), both very attractive to cybercriminals.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of cyber attacks. One is opportunistic, focusing on random victims. But the other type targets specific organisations and individuals. These latter attacks are well-funded, well-planned, and often have the backing of a nation-state.

Ransomware are blunt but highly effective attacks that encrypt a company’s data and demand payment to reverse the encryption. Criminals use tactics such as phishing to fool key employees into deploying malware that rapidly encrypts important data, causing big system outages and stopping operations.

The bigger they are, the more security challenges they have. This statement applies to any large enterprise’s technology estate and should resonate with every CIO and CISO.

Cybersecurity needs vary from organisation to organisation. But it’s a rule of thumb that the larger an enterprise, the more complicated its digital systems.