Our operations rely on the secure processing, storage, and transmission of confidential and other information and assets, including in our computer systems and networks and those of third-party service providers. Our business depends on effective information security and systems and the integrity and timeliness of the data our information systems use to run our business.
Our ability to adequately price products and services, to establish reserves, to provide effective, efficient and secure service to our customers, to value our investments and to timely and accurately report our financial results also depends significantly on the integrity and availability of the data we maintain, including that within our information systems, as well as data in and assets held through third-party service providers and systems. Like all global companies, our systems and those of our third-party service providers, have been, and will likely continue to be, targeted by or subject to viruses, malware or other malicious codes, unauthorized access, cyber-attacks, cyber frauds, ransomware or other unauthorized occurrences, on or conducted through our information systems, which jeopardize the confidentiality, integrity or availability of our information or information systems. Cybersecurity threats are rapidly evolving and those threats and the means for obtaining access to our systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Cybersecurity threats can originate from a wide variety of sources including terrorists, nation states, financially motivated actors, internal actors, or third parties, such as external service providers, and the techniques used change frequently or are often not recognized until after they have been launched. The rapid evolution and increased adoption of artificial intelligence technologies may intensify our cybersecurity risks including the deployment of artificial intelligence by bad actors intent on finding and exploiting vulnerabilities, their use of "deep fakes," and long-term persistent attacks. Although we have implemented administrative and technical controls and have taken protective actions designed to reduce the risk of cyber incidents and to protect our information technology and assets, including conducting due diligence security reviews and negotiating agreements with third-party service providers, and we additionally endeavor to modify such procedures and agreements as circumstances warrant, such measures may be insufficient to prevent unauthorized access, computer viruses, malware or other malicious code or cyber-attack, ransomware, phishing scams, or similar attempts to fraudulently induce our employees or others to take actions which compromise our information or information systems, business compromise attacks, catastrophic events, system failures and disruptions, employee errors, negligence or malfeasance, loss of assets or data and other events that could have security consequences (each, a Security Event). As the breadth and complexity of our security infrastructure continues to grow, the risk of a Security Event increases. Such an event or events may jeopardize Chubb's or its clients' or counterparties' confidential and other information processed and stored within Chubb, and transmitted through its information systems, or otherwise cause interruptions, delays, or malfunctions in Chubb's, its clients', its counterparties', or third parties' operations, or result in data loss or loss of assets which could result in significant losses, reputational damage or an adverse effect on our operations and critical business functions. Chubb may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify our protective measures or to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures and to pursue recovery of lost data or assets and we may be subject to litigation costs and losses, regulatory penalties (as described above) and financial losses that are either not insured against or not fully covered by insurance maintained. In instances where we rely on third parties to perform business functions and process data on our behalf, Chubb may be exposed to additional data security risk as a result of Security Events that impact the third party or others upon whom they rely.
Despite the contingency plans and facilities, we have in place and our efforts to observe the regulatory requirements surrounding information security, our ability to conduct business may be adversely affected by a disruption of the infrastructure that supports our business in the communities in which we are located, or of outsourced services or functions. This may include a disruption involving electrical, communications, transportation, or other services used by Chubb or third parties on whom we rely. If a disruption occurs in one location and Chubb employees in that location are unable to conduct business or communicate with or travel to other locations, our ability to service and interact with clients may suffer and we may not be able to successfully implement contingency plans that depend on communication or travel.