While cybercriminals can infiltrate most networks with surprising ease, they target certain industries more than others. This has more to do with the nature of these industries than the whims of cybercriminals themselves. Here is a look at three characteristics of high risk industries:

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1. They Hold Vital and Valuable Data

Verizon's “2017 Data Breach Investigations Report” found that companies in the financial, healthcare and retailer sectors comprised over 50 percent of cyberattack victims in 2016. So what do they have in common? It's simple: These three industries hold some of the most highly valued and profitable information in the economy.

Breaching financial firms and retailers, for example, can allow cybercriminals to access and profit from bank accounts and credit card information. And given the sensitivity around healthcare records, which hold some of the most personal information, finance industry theft also affords cybercriminals leverage.