In the aftermath of the combative 2016 presidential election, many brands are coming up with a new plan: how to address being the target of a fake news story fueled by malicious intent. Experts say a perfect storm has developed in which online rumor and conspiracy are being widely accepted as truth.

The breach of 500 million Yahoo user accounts amplified calls for Congress to act on breach notification legislation. But the timing for action was not fortuitous, primarily because Congress was in pre-election recess. And with Members unlikely to want to take up another thorny issue during the brief Lame Duck Session, the issue will be passed on to the 115th Congress.

In addition to technological solutions for securing sensitive data, a company’s data security strategy also should include robust employee communications and training on the appropriate handling of sensitive information.

A new Healthcare Breach Barometer reported that, in June, over 11 million patient records were reported as compromised, far more than any previous month’s total in 2016.

At the intersection of news, entertainment and life, you find never ending unfiltered social media. It can be exhilarating, depressing, informational, entertaining, incendiary, or mundane. For communications professionals, it is an incredibly useful channel to reach, connect, and engage.

New research indicates that both the frequency and cost of data breaches are trending upward. There were increases in the average size of a data breach, the average cost for each record lost, and the total cost of each incident.

When the initial crisis event occurs, it sets off a cascade of new information, questions and events that require a response. If you don’t address new developments in a timely way, you will quickly lose control of the crisis. Managing a crisis communication effort is very much like playing a game of Tetris.

Time is running out for national legislation on major cybersecurity issues. One type of cybersecurity legislation is finding support, however. We highlight two bills that recently passed in the House. The bills have three characteristics in common: they are narrow in scope; they introduce no new regulations; and likely because of the first two characteristics, they are able to win bipartisan support.

When a corporate crisis happens, team members rush to their desks knowing it’s an “all hands on deck” situation. But too often, the reality is that it’s “all hands on lots of different decks” and on each deck, departmental response actions are siloed.

Welcome to The Jeff Eller Group’s new monthly publication, Cybersecurity Monitor. In each issue we highlight the policies and broader political developments shaping the public debate on cybersecurity, and provide you with insights into how these developments could impact your business and reputation.