As critical infrastructure in the United States becomes more dependent on networked systems, such as the smart grid, the electricity industry is at risk for new avenues of attack. 

It allows them to coordinate all aspects of a response: what's going on in the network, what information is available from threat intelligence feeds, what the regulations are, what the best practices are, and how to ensure that everything is getting done quickly and effectively.

Network and security components must be able to communicate so that if an attacker penetrates one system, others can respond immediately to take preventative measures. IF-MAP is a robust protocol that enables information sharing between disparate systems.

Tool users, including information-security, risk, financial and other senior executives, can input a range of expenses and estimated costs for either a specific scenario or actual breach, and the app, sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton, would generate a comprehensive report explaining the total cost and enabling a cost-benefit analysis of security strategies.

On January 1, 2014, California implemented an amendment to its breach notification law. The law applies to companies doing business in California that experience a security breach exposing personal information.

The legal consequences of cyberattacks, such as class-action lawsuits on behalf of victim third-parties, are a growing worry of business owners, and businesses without cyber insurance are vulnerable to cybercrime and any consequential litigation, according to Solace Insurance.