In some regards, 2018 could be defined by its geopolitical volatility, due largely to the threat of the next catalytic cyberattack. Cyberattacks will only become more sophisticated and deadly going forward, making them a global risk that demands constant attention. The World Economic Forum (WEF)'s latest report, Regional Risks for Doing Business, in partnership with Zurich Insurance Group and Marsh & McLennan Companies, examines these risks both regionally and globally as international power continues to ebb and flow. Predictions that global systems would converge — particularly in the West — have not stood the test of time, and the WEF says: "we are moving into unchartered international waters." Related: Next 12 months could see more cyber-related losses, survey finds

Methodology

The report's findings are based on data from the WEF's Executive Opinion Survey, which was conducted in 2018 between January and June. Respondents were presented with a core list of 30 global risks and asked to select among, "the five global risks that you believe to be of the most concern doing business in your country within the next ten years." The top-ranked international risk in 2018 was, "unemployment or underemployment," and "failure of national governance" was ranked second. Time will tell where cyberattacks will rank in 2019 and beyond. With this in mind, here are the five regions most concerned about the risk of a cyberattack. Related: China, Russia, Iran top cyber threats, U.S. intelligence finds

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Denny Jacob

Denny Jacob is an associate editor for NU PropertyCasualty360. Contact him at [email protected].

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