Get a read on risk.

There are three primary reasons all risk professionals should actively manage cyber risk: to comply with regulations, its frequency, and its severity. But what can be done about this problem?

In a study by Accenture Insurance, only 43% of executives believed that their organization’s cyber defence was fully functional. Cyber risk is a difficult threat to manage as technology is constantly changing and there isn’t one clear-cut solution. This list of strategies can be used individually or in tandem to reduce an organization’s cyber risk.

Insurance is essential but costly. Every organization needs it, or they risk shutting down in the face of a crisis they can’t recover from.

Even so, insurance premiums come with a hefty price tag. Smaller organizations may feel that insurance coverage is out of their reach while large corporations must control the hundreds of claims they face per year. Either way, all organizations must find a way to reduce their insurance costs to ensure they can protect themselves without spending too much money.

You’ve recognized the need for a risk management system, evaluated vendors’ products, and chosen the system that’s best for your organization. It may seem like the work is done, but there’s still a significant challenge ahead: the implementation of the system.

This step is arguably the most important: failure to smoothly implement a risk management system will make it much harder to achieve success. Before beginning implementation, consider the following advice:

Residents in coastal British Columbia experienced an unusual occurrence yesterday: a tsunami warning. A large earthquake struck about 250km off the coast of Alaska around 1:30am Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 23. Alaskan and B.C. residents were warned to move to higher ground in preparation of the wave that was feared to be on its way. Full CBC coverage of the event can be found here. 

Even if you don’t realize it, you’re probably employing some kind of risk management in your organization. Over time, you develop procedures to make sure things don’t go wrong and put plans in place to reduce organizational impact if they do.

Creating a risk management plan is simply about formalizing that process and being able to devote your resources more effectively. The first step in this process, and one of the most important, is identifying your risks.

You will need to make a list of all the specific risks that could impact your organization. This can be a daunting task, especially for new businesses that don’t have years of experience and history to rely on. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can turn to for help: