LONDON (17 October 2017) – Aon plc (NYSE:AON) has applied its Cyber Resilience Framework to UK pension schemes to help them review and manage their exposure to cyber risks. Given the spate of recent high profile corporate cyber-attacks, Aon is encouraging pension schemes and sponsors to review their cyber security approach as soon as possible.

Over the past 12 months, cyber risk has leapt up the agenda of pension schemes and sponsors. As holders of large volumes of personal and financial data, pension schemes have the potential to become increasingly attractive targets for cyber criminals.

For most pension schemes, the key risks relate to member data, financial transactions and the reputation of the sponsor. As well as holding a great deal of personal data, UK pension schemes manage around £3 trillion worth of assets - with regular flows of money taking place - and store associated financial information. Loss of data could also cause huge reputational damage to not only the scheme but also to the sponsoring employer.

Paul McGlone, partner at Aon Hewitt, said:
“Some trustees may believe that cyber risk evaluations have already been undertaken by their sponsor or administration partners, but it’s important that they take responsibility for reviewing their own scheme’s protections and ensuring that sufficient defences and insurance are in place.

”The combination of Aon and Stroz Friedberg’s cybersecurity capabilities uniquely positions us  to advise on pension scheme risks to help schemes, sponsors, their advisers and administrators to review their cyber security approach and to have the relevant protections and plans in place in the event of a data breach.”

The key elements of the Cyber Resilience Framework are:

•    Assess - Identifying critical risks and assessing the organisation’s preparedness
•    Test - Uncovering, testing and remediating vulnerabilities both of schemes and of outsourced functions
•    Improve - Preparing, optimising, and enhancing security governance, and introducing incident detection and breach protocols
•    Quantify - Quantifying the financial impact from cyber risks to inform risk reduction and transfer strategies
•    Transfer – Exploring risk transfer solutions such as cyber insurance to minimise balance sheet risk
•    Respond - Limiting business disruption, minimising economic loss, and expediting the claims management process

Paul McGlone continued:
“The Aon Cyber Resilience Framework applies to pension schemes as a practical way of assessing and managing cyber exposure through various lenses and ensuring that the resulting actions help to enhance the scheme's cyber resilience. This includes assessing and quantifying the impact of cyber risk, and applying appropriate mitigation, response, and insurance solutions.”

Notes to Editors
About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE:AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.

About Stroz Friedberg, an Aon Company
Stroz Friedberg, an Aon company, is a specialised risk management firm built to help clients solve the complex challenges prevalent in today's digital, connected, and regulated business world. A global leader in the field of cybersecurity, with leading experts in digital forensics, incident response, and security science; investigation; eDiscovery; and due diligence, Stroz Friedberg works to maximise the health of an organisation, ensuring its longevity, protection, and resilience. Founded in 2000 and acquired by Aon in 2016, Stroz Friedberg has thirteen offices across nine U.S. cities, London, Zurich, Dubai, and Hong Kong. Stroz Friedberg serves Fortune 100 companies, 80% of the AmLaw 100, and the Top 20 UK law firms. Learn more at https://www.strozfriedberg.com/.

Follow Aon Hewitt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AonHewittUK
Sign up for News Alerts: http://aon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=58

Media Contact
For further information please contact:
Colin Mayes                                           Marina Jane Sanchez
Aon Hewitt                                              CNC
01372 733689                                         020 3755 1618    
colin.mayes@aonhewitt.com                    marina.jane-sanchez@cnc-communications.com