On March 1, New York will go live with cybersecurity rules for financial service providers such as banks, insurance companies and others subject to the Department of Financial Services’ jurisdiction. At its core, the rules require these entities to have cybersecurity programs directed to consumer protection.

New York firms must now have written policies and procedures, as well as a designated chief information security officer to oversee, train, enforce the program and report hacking to the state. Any report of hacking must take place within 72 hours of the hack, where the hack has a reasonable likelihood to impact firm operations.

This program will necessarily create new costs for these companies. Specifically, there is a cost in finding an adequately trained and certified individual to serve in the role of chief information security officer. Additional costs will arise from the mandate that firms monitor all data leaving it and to have email systems that block certain forms of information like Social Security numbers.

With this cost, however, will come added protection for consumers and, in turn consumer confidence in their financial institutions. This one of a kind program is likely not to be the only one in the coming years.

More and more states will implement such data security protocols for the purpose of consumer protection.   Are you doing enough now in the absence of regulation to protect consumer information?