Cyber-breach disclosures in 2020 were down 19 percent from 2019—the first drop in the statistic in five years, according to a new report from Audit Analytics.
Surveys & Benchmarking
Michaela Ahlberg on building a compliance program amid an FCPA probe
Michaela Ahlberg created a compliance program from scratch when she was hired by Swedish telecom Telia following allegations of corruption in its foreign business dealings. She shared what she learned with the audience at CW’s Financial Crimes virtual event.
IIA survey: COVID-19 impact on internal audit smaller than expected
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on internal audit was not nearly as severe as it was for organizations overall, states a new report from the Institute of Internal Auditors.
Robert Mazur: Old tricks still work for launderers; new policies could help
Former federal agent Robert Mazur revealed secrets of the money-laundering trade to attendees of CW’s Financial Crimes virtual event and proposed two solutions for financial institutions in the fight against bad actors.
Study: Financial services leads way in COVID-related CAMs
More than a quarter of companies citing COVID-19 in their critical audit matters filed with the PCAOB are part of the financial services industry, according to research from Audit Analytics.
SPACs are big-risk, big-reward investments that can give compliance fits
Once a moribund and little-used method to bring a private company public, SPACs dominated the market in 2020 and the first three months of this year. With the trend have come new risks for compliance.
Internal audit’s role in cyber-security testing: Where to start
Nathan Anderson, senior director of internal audit at McDonald’s, discusses ways internal audit can better answer management questions about cyber-risks and become a more independent cyber-security testing function overall.
Study: Racial diversity still lacking among Russell 3000 board members
A new board diversity report by BoardProspects reveals companies in the Russell 3000 are at a major inflection point regarding racial equality on their boards, but most (60 percent) still have no Black board members.
TRACE: U.S. bribery enforcement declined in 2020
Despite a banner year for resolutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in 2020, U.S. enforcement of the anti-bribery law dropped 29 percent when compared to 2019, according to the latest Global Enforcement Report by TRACE International.
GDPR fines by industry: Telecoms far outpace Big Tech
Since the GDPR came into force in 2018, Big Tech firms have not been on the receiving end of fines as frequently as expected. Meanwhile, other industries have shown to be more prone to data privacy violations, namely telecommunications.


