Travelers Offers Resources and Reminders for National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a time for individuals and businesses to reflect upon how to keep their data and devices safe. This year’s theme from the Department of Homeland Security, “Our Shared Responsibility,” stresses how it is in everyone’s collective interest to ensure that our online lives are kept safe and secure.

To mark National Cyber Security Awareness Month, Travelers (NYSE: TRV) revealed 2013 claims data, which indicates that hacked, lost or stolen mobile devices and malware are among the most frequent causes of cyber breaches.

“Technology and the sharing of information are critical to our everyday personal and professional lives, which is why it’s so important that we’re aware of the many forms cyber risks can take and how to protect against them,” said Tim Francis, Enterprise Cyber Lead at Travelers. “We consistently promote tips to keep safe private information and urge businesses to consult with independent agents to gain additional insights into cyber risks and ensure they have the proper insurance coverage.”

While retailers and financial institutions gain significant media attention from data breaches, Travelers’ claims data indicates that other industries also are regularly targeted for cyber-attacks, including professional services firms and educational institutions.

The data also shows that hackers frequently attack retailers’ point-of-sale systems to obtain credit card, banking and PIN information and even signatures from customers. Other common schemes include former employees gaining access to protected information on a company’s network, mobile devices and laptops stolen from sleeping business travelers and viruses that are installed to transmit information outside of a network.

Tips and Tools for Thwarting Cyber Threats

To help educate business owners about the growing number of cyber threats, Travelers offers various resources to the public, as well as a variety of tools for its commercial customers to help tailor their cyber protection to the specific needs of their businesses. To learn more about cyber risks, Travelers is pleased to provide the following online tools:

• “Travelers Cyber Security” is a public portal that provides insights into the threats associated with cyber risks and how to effectively protect against them.
• Travelers Prepare and Prevent website offers general tips on protecting against cyber attacks.
• Travelers eRisk Hub®, powered by NetDiligence, is available to policyholders of Travelers CyberRisk, CyberFirst® for Technology and CyberFirst for Public Entities. It provides an additional level of information and expertise for current customers.

“All of Travelers online resources provide direct contact with agents who can assist in creating personalized cyber risk management plans,” explains Francis. “National awareness months such as this are important public services and Travelers is pleased to play a role in elevating the conversation around these serious issues.”

About Travelers

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers has approximately 30,000 employees and generated revenues of approximately $26 billion in 2013. For more information, visit www.travelers.com.