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Cybersecurity Risk

Author

Listed:
  • Chris Florackis
  • Christodoulos Louca
  • Roni Michaely
  • Michael Weber

Abstract

Using textual analysis and comparing cybersecurity-risk disclosures of firms that were hacked to others that were not, we propose a novel firm-level measure of cybersecurity risk for all US-listed firms. We then examine whether cybersecurity risk is priced in the cross-section of stock returns. Portfolios of firms with high exposure to cybersecurity risk outperform other firms, on average, by up to 8.3% per year. At the same time, high-exposure firms perform poorly in periods of high cybersecurity risk. Reassuringly, the measure is higher in information-technology industries, correlates with characteristics linked to firms hit by cyberattacks, and predicts future cyberattacks.

Suggested Citation

  • Chris Florackis & Christodoulos Louca & Roni Michaely & Michael Weber, 2020. "Cybersecurity Risk," NBER Working Papers 28196, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:28196
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    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Martin Boyer & Martin Eling, 2023. "New advances on cyber risk and cyber insurance," The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan;The Geneva Association, vol. 48(2), pages 267-274, April.
    3. Crosignani, Matteo & Macchiavelli, Marco & Silva, André F., 2023. "Pirates without borders: The propagation of cyberattacks through firms’ supply chains," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(2), pages 432-448.
    4. Daniel Celeny & Loic Mar'echal & Evgueni Rousselot & Alain Mermoud & Mathias Humbert, 2024. "Prioritizing Investments in Cybersecurity: Empirical Evidence from an Event Study on the Determinants of Cyberattack Costs," Papers 2402.04773, arXiv.org.
    5. Xu, Yao & Zhao, Feng & Zhang, Qi, 2025. "How does the cybersecurity law affect corporate investment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    6. Loic Mar'echal & Nathan Monnet, 2024. "Disentangling the sources of cyber risk premia," Papers 2409.08728, arXiv.org.
    7. Lattanzio, Gabriele & Ma, Yue, 2023. "Cybersecurity risk and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    8. Chang, Jin-Wook & Jayachandran, Kartik & Ramírez, Carlos A. & Tintera, Ali, 2024. "On the anatomy of cyberattacks," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    9. Daniel Celeny & Loic Mar'echal, 2024. "Cyber risk and the cross-section of stock returns," Papers 2402.04775, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2024.
    10. Ersahin, Nuri & Giannetti, Mariassunta & Huang, Ruidi, 2024. "Supply chain risk: Changes in supplier composition and vertical integration," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    11. Alex Kim & Maximilian Muhn & Valeri Nikolaev, 2023. "Bloated Disclosures: Can ChatGPT Help Investors Process Information?," Papers 2306.10224, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2025.
    12. Gilles Hilary & Vanessa Serret, 2023. "Governance and Digital Transformation [Gouvernance et transformation numérique]," Post-Print hal-04380300, HAL.
    13. Loic Mar'echal & Alain Mermoud & Dimitri Percia David & Mathias Humbert, 2024. "Measuring the performance of investments in information security startups: An empirical analysis by cybersecurity sectors using Crunchbase data," Papers 2402.04765, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2024.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies

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