In June 2012, I published my Master’s Capstone at the completion of the Master of Arts in Policy Studies program at the University of Washington. The thesis is called “Considering Data Breaches: Public Information, Corporate Responsibility, and Market Valuations” and is available from the UW library.
This study examines the relationship between data loss incidents and stock price impact by exploring the question of whether the stock price impact of a corporate data breach differs depending on the nature of the breach. To date studies of this kind have been limited and have used ad hoc methods. Here we explore whether differences in the type of data breach have an impact upon stock prices. General studies of stock impacts are helpful because they may suggest the real costs of data breaches if the market efficiently processes that information. It is also useful to know whether stock price losses can serve as an appropriate self-regulatory device providing incentives to prevent data breaches. Although limited, the results in this study suggest that the stock market may not fully anticipate losses from data breaches.
