UPDATED 13:31 EST / FEBRUARY 05 2018

INFRA

Apple and Cisco team up with Allianz to provide antihacker insurance

Apple Inc. and Cisco Systems Inc. joined forces back in 2015 to help companies that use the networking giant’s gear to improve management of traffic from employees’ iPhones and iPads. The tech giants have now expanded the scope of their collaboration to another area: insurance.

Today, Apple and Cisco launched a new “cyber risk management solution” created together with Allianz SE to offer enterprise customers coverage against security breaches. Demand for cyberinsurance is growing rapidly as companies become more conscious of the financial risks posed by hacking. Last September, for instance, Maersk Group revealed that its bottom line had taken a $200 million to $300 million hit from a cyberattack a few months prior.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook first teased the insurance offering during a talk at a Cisco customer event last year (pictured). The policy is available for companies that use certain Apple products and Cisco’s Ransomware Defense platform. To become eligible, an organization must also pass a security audit carried out by insurance broker Aon PLC.

Enterprises that check all the boxes are promised “market leading” terms from Allianz including lower or no deductibles in some cases. Cisco and Aon, meanwhile, are throwing in access to their incident response teams. The two providers say that they can help organizations deal with any security breaches in a more efficient matter.

For Cisco, the insurance package provides an opportunity to upsell customers on its security support offerings and other professional services. The promise of lower rates might also tempt some firms to adopt provider’s Ransomware Defense software so they can become eligible for the policy.

On Apple’s side, the new partnership could give iOS a marketing edge over Android. The iPhone maker is touting Allianz’s willingness to provide special terms to customers as an endorsement of its products’ security. In a statement, Cook said that “we’re thrilled that insurance industry leaders recognize that Apple products provide superior cyber protection.”

Apple’s focus on cybersecurity extends beyond the enterprise market as well. According to a Bloomberg report from last week, the company is currently developing at least three new Mac models with specialized coprocessors for protecting user data.

Image: Cisco

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