The presentation on Cyber Risk Quantification (CRQ) and insurance highlighted key strategies for integrating advanced analytics with risk management. Emphasizing the importance of actionable insights tied to financial impacts, the speakers outlined a roadmap: assess current systems, develop quantitative frameworks, integrate cyber risks into overall risk management, and establish a risk-aware culture. Discussions also covered the criteria for selecting CRQ partners, including data integrity, analytical tools, and compliance with standards. The session underscored the need for proactive risk mitigation and the role of cyber insurance in managing financial exposures.

-by Gokulavan, Lumina Datamatics; Gowdhaman, Lumina Datamatics

Executive Summary:

Roadmap to Address the Problem:

• Steps include assessing current systems, developing a quantitative analysis framework, integrating cyber risk into overall risk management, and continuous monitoring.
• Cultivating a risk-based thinking culture as per ISO standards is highlighted.

Critical Capabilities for Partner Selection:

• Comprehensive data gathering capability.
• Advanced analytical tools and sophisticated risk models like Fair technology.
• Real-time threat intelligence and automation capabilities are essential.
• Integration with existing systems is critical for a complete picture.

Vendor Evaluation Checklist:

• Experience, expertise, data security, technology, threat intelligence, and processing speed.
• Compliance with standards, reporting, communication channels, and adaptability.
• Educational awareness and reputation should be considered.

Functionality and Integration:

• Statistical risk modeling, predictive analysis, and probabilistic modeling are key.
• Reporting, testing, and compliance with standards are critical post-implementation.

Commercial Aspects:

• Use case analysis, partner comparison, and seeking guidance from peers.
• Negotiating contracts, ensuring regular assessments, and finalizing agreements.

Management Support and Board Interaction:

• Management Support: The board has limited time and focuses on business problems rather than cybersecurity issues. Convincing them requires showing the business impact of cybersecurity incidents.

• Risk Quantification Methodology: Adopting methodologies like FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk) helps quantify cyber risks in financial terms, aiding in demonstrating the financial impact to the board.

• Data-Driven Prioritization: Using data-driven methods to prioritize cybersecurity investments can resonate more with the board than technical jargon.

Cyber Insurance:

It's crucial post-risk assessment. Policies should cover both direct and indirect costs, with attention to deductibles and policy clauses specifying covered incidents.

• Insurance Challenges: Historical data for cyber insurance is limited, making risk assessment challenging. Insurance assessments involve third-party evaluations of security measures and gaps.

• Board Engagement: Building trust with the board involves proactive cybersecurity measures and clear communication of risks and financial impacts.