Cybersecurity and data breaches
203 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 |
| 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 |
| Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies | 3 | 7 |
| Semiconductors & Related Devices | 6 | 15 |
| 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 |
532 paragraphs · Semiconductors & Related Devices show all sectors
We regularly face attempts by malicious attackers to, among other things: gain unauthorized access to our network or data centers or those of our suppliers, customers and partners; steal proprietary, personal or confidential information; sabotage or corrupt our systems or processes to design and manufacture hardware and associated software and services; interrupt operations; or demand ransom. Threats include malicious hackers, state-sponsored organizations, insider threats, including employees and third-party service providers and unauthorized physical facility access. In addition, service providers we use can experience breaches of their systems and products, or provide inadequate updates or support, which can impact the security of our systems and our proprietary or confidential information.
Read in the 10-K filed Jan 23, 2026 ↗
•impact of evolving risks related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data privacy across our products, operations, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, talent, and transactions;
Read in the 10-K filed May 21, 2026 ↗
We face significant and evolving risks related to AI across our products, operations, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, confidential information, privacy, workforce, customer transactions, and customer demand, any of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and reputation.
Read in the 10-K filed May 21, 2026 ↗
AI also amplifies cybersecurity threats. As AI and machine learning evolve, they may lead to the development of dramatically more effective security tools, and cyber‑attackers may leverage these tools to enhance attack methods, identify novel security vulnerabilities, develop malicious code, sophisticated phishing attempts, and convincing deep fakes that manipulate our content or the voices or images of our leaders. Threats may also be introduced by our employees', our customers’, or our partners’ use of AI tools, including where AI‑generated source code incorporated into products or systems introduces malicious code or security vulnerabilities. We may be unaware of an incident, its magnitude or its effects until significant harm is done.
Read in the 10-K filed May 21, 2026 ↗
We also face AI‑related risks in acquisitions and strategic relationships, including regulatory violations or cybersecurity risks arising from an acquired company’s or partner’s use of AI. In addition, competition for talent with AI expertise has intensified, and our ability to attract, retain and train personnel with appropriate AI skills and literacy is critical to our innovation and product roadmap.
Read in the 10-K filed May 21, 2026 ↗
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on corporate responsibility matters, including greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related risks, renewable energy, water stewardship, waste management, data privacy, cybersecurity, trade controls, responsible sourcing and supply chain, use of products for illegal or unethical purposes, human rights, and
Read in the 10-K filed May 21, 2026 ↗
Our investment in AI-related capabilities may not yield the anticipated benefits. Developing, acquiring, or integrating AI-driven tools and talent into our operations will require significant capital expenditures and operational resources, and there is no assurance that these investments will generate a return sufficient to justify their cost. Additionally, the deployment of AI technologies in our design and manufacturing processes may introduce new and unforeseen risks, including design errors, security vulnerabilities, intellectual property concerns, and regulatory compliance challenges that could increase our costs, expose us to liability, or delay product launches. See also, “Costs related to defective products could have a material adverse effect on us” and “Cybersecurity risks could adversely affect our business and disrupt our operations” for additional information.
Read in the 10-K filed Mar 11, 2026 ↗
Additionally, AI algorithms or training methodologies may be flawed, and datasets may contain irrelevant, insufficient, or biased information, which can cause errors in outputs. Failures to develop, deploy, or use AI technologies in a safe, responsible, and effective manner, whether by us, our customers, suppliers, partners, or third-party AI providers, could result in product quality issues, operational disruptions, legal liability, regulatory scrutiny, or reputational harm. We manage AI-related risks through our existing cybersecurity, privacy, legal, compliance, information governance, and enterprise risk management processes. However, these processes may not identify or mitigate all risks associated with evolving AI technologies, regulations, and industry practices.
Read in the 10-K filed Oct 9, 2026 ↗
Individuals, groups of hackers and sophisticated organizations, including nation-states and nation-state-supported actors, and other threat actors have engaged and are expected to continue to engage in cyber-attacks. Additionally, some actors are using AI technology to launch more automated, targeted and coordinated attacks. Due to geopolitical conflicts
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 25, 2026 ↗
We are increasingly incorporating AI tools and capabilities into our business operations where we believe appropriate, which may subject us to significant competitive, legal, regulatory and other risks. There can be no assurance that our use of AI tools will enhance our business operations or result in a benefit to us. Our competitors may be more successful in their use of AI tools, including by developing superior products or improving their operations with the assistance of AI. Additionally, there could be adverse impacts from inaccurate or flawed algorithms. Our use of AI tools could also result in the loss of confidential information or intellectual property or an inability to claim or enforce intellectual property rights, as well as subject us to risks related to intellectual property infringement or misappropriation, data privacy, cybersecurity, and the unauthorized use of Company data. The jurisdictions in which we conduct business have and may adopt laws and regulations related to AI, which could cause us to incur greater compliance costs, limit our use of AI tools, or subject us to legal liabilities.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 9, 2026 ↗
craft sophisticated cybersecurity attacks. Any of the foregoing could irreparably damage our reputation and business, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. We maintain cyber risk insurance, although an insufficiency or unavailability of insurance coverage could adversely affect our cash flows and overall profitability. Furthermore, our efforts to comply with evolving laws and regulations related to cybersecurity may be costly and any failure to comply could result in investigations, proceedings, investor lawsuits and reputational damage.
Read in the 10-K filed Feb 9, 2026 ↗