As insurance companies, their partners and customers continue to adjust to financial headwinds caused by high inflation and evermore costly natural catastrophes, cybercrime also looms large among contemporary risks that are altering insurance. "Cyberattacks are on the rise, both in frequency and financial impact," Kiteworks spokesperson Patrick Spencer said in a recent press release about that company's July 2024 state-by-state study of cybercrime. Kiteworks is a tech firm that created a platform to securely share governance and compliance content. Its researchers set out to determine just how severe the risk in cybercrime has become, and where in the U.S. cybercriminals have found the most success. The company evaluated each state in the U.S. based on annual victim counts, financial losses from cyberattacks, increases in both victims and losses, and the types of cyberattacks experienced. The slideshow above illustrates the 10 U.S. states most at risk of being victimized by hackers, according to a scoring rubric developed by Kiteworks. "As cyber threats continue to evolve," Spencer continued, "proactive investment in advanced security technologies and employee training can significantly enhance a company's resilience against cybercrime, as well as a greater focus on data security." See also:

• Cyber expert talks state of risk to the insurance industry
• States that generate the most cybercrime complaints
• FBI: 11 states with the highest cybercrime-victim losses (2022)