Mike Fusco Talks 2026 Cyber Best Practices with the San Diego Business Journal

Our co-founder, Mike Fusco recently participated in an interview with the San Diego Business Journal to share cybersecurity best practices for 2026. 

Pegged to the recent cyberattack on medical device company Stryker, the article explores the influence of AI on attacks and business practices, new attack pathways and motivations that may surprise you, and actions business owners can take now.

Here are six key takeaways from the article:

1. A less common path: The Stryker cyber incident stood out because there was no reported ransomware or malware. These styles of attacks, along with social engineering and funds transfer fraud, are typically the most common threats faced by private companies. As noted by fellow interviewee Zac Sawin, this attack instead "weaponizes legitimate enterprise management tools and corporate accounts rather than bypassing or encrypting them."

2. Insurers are looking for more: Mike observed that, as attacks become more frequent and diverse, insurers require organizations to demonstrate more than just having "cyber tools on paper." Now, they assess systemic risk, cyber tool adoption and implementation, and recovery speed.

3. Baseline standards are growing. Multifactor authentication, employee training, and patching and vulnerability management are three of nearly 10 baseline standards noted in the article and worth reviewing.

4. AI is making cyber criminals more effective. Compromised email or funds transfer fraud accounted for 60% of claims in 2024, and both types of incidents are made more effective by AI.

5. AI use by staff is getting a closer look. When evaluating cyber liability policies, insurers assess a business’s reliance on AI, its implementation, and its use of AI as a decision-making tool.

6. Insurance does not fix weak controls. Insurance can help with recovery, “but it does not make weak controls insurable forever,” said Mike.

We strongly encourage you to read the full article HERE.

For more tips on cybersecurity best practices from the team here at FOA, click HERE.