Global cybersecurity threats and incidents can range from uncoordinated individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to IT systems to sophisticated and targeted measures known as advanced persistent threats, directed at the Company, its products and its customers. We experience cybersecurity threats and incidents from time to time; however, to date, none have been material. We seek to deploy comprehensive measures to deter, prevent, detect, react to and mitigate these threats, including identity and access controls, data protection, vulnerability assessments, continuous monitoring of our IT networks and systems and maintenance of backup and protective systems.
Despite these efforts, cybersecurity incidents, depending on their nature and scope, could potentially result in the misappropriation, destruction, corruption or unavailability of critical data and confidential or proprietary information (our own or that of third parties) and the disruption of business operations. The potential consequences of a material cybersecurity incident include financial loss, reputational damage, litigation with third parties, theft of intellectual property, diminution in the value of our investment in research, development and engineering, and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs due to the increasing sophistication and proliferation of threats, which in turn could adversely affect our competitiveness and results of operations.