Cybersecurity and data breaches
205 of 521 companies added a paragraph in Risk Factors that uses one of these words:
cybersecurity, cyber, ransomware, data breach, cyberattack, hackers.
The paragraph is in the latest 10-K and nothing like it was in the one before.
It counts text; it does not say how serious a risk is. Words in capitals only (such as AI) must be in capitals.
By sector
Sector is the SEC's industry description of the company. Each count opens that sector's quotes below.
| Sector | Companies | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Communications Equipment | 3 | 3 |
| Accident & Health Insurance | 2 | 2 |
| Computer Peripheral Equipment, NEC | 2 | 2 |
| Instruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals | 2 | 2 |
| Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments | 2 | 2 |
| Rubber & Plastics Footwear | 2 | 2 |
| Air Courier Services | 1 | 1 |
| Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Apparel & Other Finishd Prods of Fabrics & Similar Matl | 1 | 1 |
| Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters | 1 | 1 |
| Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies | 1 | 1 |
| Electrical Industrial Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Electronic Components & Accessories | 1 | 1 |
| Electronic Connectors | 1 | 1 |
| Engines & Turbines | 1 | 1 |
| Gas & Other Services Combined | 1 | 1 |
| General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Grain Mill Products | 1 | 1 |
| Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors | 1 | 1 |
| In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances | 1 | 1 |
| Insurance Carriers, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Leather & Leather Products | 1 | 1 |
| Meat Packing Plants | 1 | 1 |
| Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment | 1 | 1 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries | 1 | 1 |
| Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods | 1 | 1 |
| Paper Mills | 1 | 1 |
| Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Drug Stores and Proprietary Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Eating & Drinking Places | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores | 1 | 1 |
| Retail-Retail Stores, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Rolling Drawing & Extruding of Nonferrous Metals | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Advertising Agencies | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services | 1 | 1 |
| Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) | 1 | 1 |
| Telephone & Telegraph Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Television Broadcasting Stations | 1 | 1 |
| Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) | 1 | 1 |
| Water Supply | 1 | 1 |
| Wholesale-Electronic Parts & Equipment, NEC | 1 | 1 |
| Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies | 1 | 1 |
| X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus | 1 | 1 |
| Finance Services | 21 | 28 |
| Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service | 4 | 6 |
| Electrical Work | 2 | 3 |
| Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations | 2 | 3 |
| Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design | 2 | 3 |
| Investment Advice | 5 | 8 |
| Biological Products, (No Diagnostic Substances) | 3 | 5 |
| Computer Storage Devices | 3 | 5 |
| Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. | 3 | 5 |
| National Commercial Banks | 6 | 11 |
| Services-Prepackaged Software | 10 | 19 |
| Petroleum Refining | 3 | 6 |
| Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) | 2 | 4 |
| Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys | 2 | 4 |
| Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services | 2 | 4 |
| Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation | 2 | 4 |
| Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts | 1 | 2 |
| Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware | 1 | 2 |
| Industrial Organic Chemicals | 1 | 2 |
| Mining & Quarrying of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) | 1 | 2 |
| Oil & Gas Field Services, NEC | 1 | 2 |
| Optical Instruments & Lenses | 1 | 2 |
| Printed Circuit Boards | 1 | 2 |
| Pumps & Pumping Equipment | 1 | 2 |
| Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment | 1 | 2 |
| Retail-Auto & Home Supply Stores | 1 | 2 |
| Services-Computer Programming Services | 1 | 2 |
| Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, NEC | 1 | 2 |
| Services-Medical Laboratories | 1 | 2 |
| Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) | 1 | 2 |
| Transportation Services | 1 | 2 |
| Trucking (No Local) | 1 | 2 |
| Semiconductors & Related Devices | 7 | 15 |
| Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies | 3 | 7 |
| Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus | 4 | 10 |
| Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, and Control | 2 | 5 |
| Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies | 2 | 5 |
| Services-Business Services, NEC | 6 | 16 |
| Pharmaceutical Preparations | 4 | 11 |
| Electric Services | 5 | 15 |
| Electric & Other Services Combined | 4 | 12 |
| State Commercial Banks | 2 | 6 |
| Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip | 1 | 3 |
| Computer & office Equipment | 1 | 3 |
| Electronic Computers | 1 | 3 |
| Life Insurance | 1 | 3 |
| Measuring & Controlling Devices, NEC | 1 | 3 |
| Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers | 1 | 3 |
| Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research | 1 | 3 |
| Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics | 1 | 3 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts | 8 | 27 |
| Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas | 2 | 7 |
| Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance | 3 | 12 |
| Retail-Eating Places | 1 | 4 |
| Hospital & Medical Service Plans | 1 | 5 |
| Laboratory Analytical Instruments | 1 | 5 |
| Retail-Variety Stores | 1 | 5 |
528 paragraphs · Pharmaceutical Preparations show all sectors
Cyber-attacks are growing in their frequency, sophistication, and intensity, and are becoming increasingly difficult to detect, mitigate, or prevent. Cyber-attacks come in many forms, including the deployment of harmful malware, exploitation of vulnerabilities (including those of third-party software or systems), denial-of-service attacks, the use of social engineering (including phishing), and other means to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of IT systems, confidential information, and other data. Breaches
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 12, 2026 ↗
technology systems because of software or hardware malfunctions, computer viruses, cyber-attacks, employee theft or
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
Cyber-attacks and incidents are increasing in their frequency, sophistication, and intensity, and are difficult to detect.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
Cyber-attacks are carried out by well-resourced groups and individuals with a wide range of motives and expertise. Due to
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
the nature of some cyber-attacks and incidents, there is a risk that they may remain undetected for a period of time. Recent
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
well as an increased number of cyber extortion attacks with higher financial ransom demand amounts and increasing
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
sophistication and variety of ransomware techniques. Cyber-attacks and incidents also include manufacturing, hardware or
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
service providers to adequately safeguard their systems and prevent cyber-attacks or data privacy incidents could disrupt our
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
Like many companies, we have experienced immaterial cybersecurity incidents, including temporary service
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
will prevent breakdowns or breaches in our systems that could adversely affect our business. While we maintain cyber
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
result from an interruption or breach of our systems and those of critical third parties. Cybersecurity incidents can cause the
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
Furthermore, the deployment of artificial intelligence systems could expose us to increased cybersecurity threats, such as data
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 13, 2026 ↗
In addition to the risks inherent in all information technology systems—including cybersecurity, data confidentiality, system integrity, and availability—the unique characteristics of AI can amplify existing risks and introduce new risks. These include an elevated risk of intellectual property loss or infringement, whether through inadvertent disclosure, unauthorized training on proprietary data, or improper use of third-party content. AI tools lower the barrier to access and replication, increasing the likelihood of intellectual property leakage, copyright violations, and regulatory non-compliance. Additionally, ML or AI-based systems may be subject to novel cybersecurity risks, including attempts to manipulate model outputs, poison data, or extract sensitive information, which could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of our systems and data.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 26, 2026 ↗
We incorporate (and expect to continue incorporating) AI capabilities in the development of new technologies and products and continue to expand the use of AI in our business and operations. Generative AI technologies are new and rapidly evolving technologies that could deliver significant benefits, but also present a number of operational, compliance, ethical, and reputational risks. AI algorithms are currently known to sometimes generate, among other things, irrelevant, nonsensical, deficient, factually inaccurate, biased or infringing content and results. In addition, if the manners in which we deploy and use AI become controversial, we may experience reputational harm to our brand, competitive harm or legal liability. In addition, we are subject to a growing number of cybersecurity and AI safety laws in markets in which we operate. For example, some of our European operations are subject to NIS2 which imposes cybersecurity requirements on “essential entities.” The EU AI Act prohibits certain AI systems that are categorized as “High Risk,” and requires certain disclosures about the use of AI tools. In the United States, there are emerging state AI laws and regulations that may impose additional requirements and restrictions in connection with the use of AI systems, including their use for "high risk" or "consequential" decision making. These rapidly changing regulatory complexities may increase our compliance costs. Moreover, there is risk that confidential information, including material non-public information, trade secrets or personal identifiable information, is input into AI applications, resulting in such information becoming accessible by third parties, including our competitors.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 12, 2026 ↗