Please Check Out PIA’s New Program to Offer Opportunities to Prepare for Cyber Security Winning@Cybersecurity Defense

TRACY OESTREICH, CIC, CPIA, AU, CPIW PIA National Director Cybersecurity poses an existential threat to every PIA member (and clients too) and should not be considered a discretionary investment. Cybercrime is a truly unique peril – in that it literally affects every agency and business client, regardless of demographics, weather conditions or local construction codes. Unlike hail, windstorm and fire, however, cybercrime is the least understood both in its far-reaching financial and reputational costs but also in how to MITIGATE it effectively. PIA members have already been hacked, as have vendors serving members. Regulators and insurance companies are also requiring, through regulations and new agency agreements, to sharpen up their cybersecurity defenses. Is your agency prepared?

PIA has a new program that can help you prepare. It is practical and action-oriented. The program is Winning@Cybersecurity Defense, and it has four parts. Part 1 covers Cyber Risk from A to Z. In this section, you can grow your knowledge of cyber risks and issues they can cause. Part 2 discusses Cyber Risk Insurance Protection. This section shares information about the various aspects of insurance. Part 3 is the Cyber Risk Assessment. This step is one of the most important steps you can take to assess your agency’s risk. Part 4 covers Cyber Resources for Your Agency. This last section shares a variety of tools and vendors. I would like to share more on the specifics of Part 3 – Cyber Risk Assessment.

The Cyber Risk Assessment, developed specifically for agencies, includes: 1. Initial discussion to determine agency familiarity with cybersecurity, mitigation actions taken, cyber coverage discussions with clients (do they initiate conversations or only respond when asked), and the degree of reliance on third-party vendors. This takes less than 30 minutes. 2. Delivery of the assessment report, usually within 5-7 days, which covers agency cyber vulnerabilities directly and through your vendors, including agency management systems. The report also includes a review of an agency’s current IT service provider (if they use one) because too many agencies assume their cybersecurity needs are already met when, in fact, many fall far short given the escalating risk. The reports run 10-14 pages and includes detailed action steps in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. 3. Post-report consultation (30-45 minutes) to discuss findings and lay out action steps, including ones that could be performed by your current IT service provider. The report should be shared with them. Discounts on additional cybersecurity services for PIA members offered as well. 4. Follow-ups at 30, 60 and 90 days to discuss actions taken or planned.

A one-time cost for the assessment is $549.00. Rising cybercrime and unfettered data sharing continue to threaten agencies and clients alike. Agencies and the vendors they use can no longer take data security for granted. Protecting agency data must be one of our primary focuses with regulatory, insurer and consumer demands to mitigate rising cybercrime.

Check out all this and more for Inquiries and assessment orders: https://www.pianational. org/pia-partnership/winning@cybersecuritydefense-program. PIA members will receive a quick response.

Every agency is at risk. Every business is at risk, no matter how small. The first step is to get smarter about the risks and the insurance programs that can cover the risks. WINNING@CYBERSECUIRTY DEFENSE will help make your agency stronger and help make your customers stronger.