Vicarious Surgical Inc. 10-K Cybersecurity GRC - 2024-03-04

Page last updated on July 16, 2024

Vicarious Surgical Inc. reported their cybersecurity risk management and governance process in a yearly 10-K filed on 2024-03-04 17:22:33 EST.

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10-K filed on 2024-03-04

Vicarious Surgical Inc. filed a 10-K at 2024-03-04 17:22:33 EST
Accession Number: 0001213900-24-019594

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Item 1C. Cybersecurity.

ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY. We recognize the critical importance of maintaining the trust and confidence of business partners and employees toward our business and are committed to protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our business operations and systems. Our board of directors is actively involved in oversight of our risk management activities, and cybersecurity represents an important element of our overall approach to risk management. Our cybersecurity policies, standards, processes and practices are based on recognized frameworks established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST and other applicable industry standards. In general, we seek to address cybersecurity risks through a comprehensive, cross-functional approach that is focused on preserving the confidentiality, security and availability of the information that we collect and store by identifying, preventing and mitigating cybersecurity threats and effectively responding to cybersecurity incidents when they occur. 57 Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy; Effect of Risk We face risks related to cybersecurity such as unauthorized access, cybersecurity attacks and other security incidents, including as perpetrated by hackers and unintentional damage or disruption to hardware and software systems, loss of data, and misappropriation of confidential information. To identify and assess material risks from cybersecurity threats, we maintain a comprehensive cybersecurity program to ensure our systems are effective and prepared for information security risks, including regular oversight of our programs for security monitoring for internal and external threats to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of our information assets. We consider risks from cybersecurity threats alongside other company risks as part of our overall risk assessment process. We employ a range of tools and services, including regular network and endpoint monitoring, internal audits, vulnerability assessments, threat modeling and tabletop exercises to inform our risk identification and assessment. As discussed in more detail under “Cybersecurity Governance” below, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee provides oversight of our cybersecurity risk management and strategy processes, which are led by our Director of IT. We also identify our cybersecurity threat risks by comparing our processes to standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST. To provide for the availability of critical data and systems, maintain regulatory compliance, manage our material risks from cybersecurity threats, and protect against and respond to cybersecurity incidents, we undertake the following activities: ● monitor emerging data protection laws and implement changes to our processes that are designed to comply with such laws; ● through our policies, practices and contracts (as applicable), require employees, as well as third parties that provide services on our behalf, to treat confidential information and data with care; ● employ technical safeguards that are designed to protect our information systems from cybersecurity threats, including firewalls, intrusion prevention and detection systems, anti-malware functionality and access controls, which are evaluated and improved through vulnerability assessments and cybersecurity threat intelligence; ● provide regular, mandatory training for our employees regarding cybersecurity threats as a means to equip them with effective tools to address cybersecurity threats, and to communicate our evolving information security policies, standards, processes and practices; ● conduct regular phishing email simulations for all employees with access to our email systems to enhance awareness and responsiveness to possible threats; ● conduct annual cybersecurity management and incident training for employees involved in our systems and processes that handle sensitive data; ● run tabletop exercises to simulate a response to a cybersecurity incident and use the findings to improve our processes and technologies; ● leverage the NIST incident handling framework to help us identify, protect, detect, respond and recover when there is an actual or potential cybersecurity incident; ● carry information security risk insurance that provides protection against the potential losses arising from a cybersecurity incident; and Our incident response plan coordinates the activities we take to prepare for, detect, respond to and recover from cybersecurity incidents, which include processes to triage, assess severity for, escalate, contain, investigate and remediate the incident, as well as to comply with potentially applicable legal obligations and mitigate damage to our business and reputation. As part of the above processes, we regularly engage with consultants, auditors and other third parties to review our cybersecurity program to help identify areas for continued focus, improvement and compliance. Our processes also address cybersecurity threat risks associated with our use of third-party service providers, including our vendors who have access to employee data or our systems. Cybersecurity considerations affect the selection and oversight of our third-party service providers. We perform diligence on third parties that have access to our systems, data or facilities that house such systems or data, and continually monitor cybersecurity threat risks identified through such diligence. Our Director of IT is part of our vendor selection process and we review the security policies, procedures, and certifications of all third-party service providers prior to engagement. Additionally, we generally require those third parties that could introduce significant cybersecurity risk to us to agree by contract to manage their cybersecurity risks in specified ways. We describe whether and how risks from identified cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition, under the heading " Disruptions to Information Technology Systems and Cybersecurity Incidents ," which disclosures are incorporated by reference herein. In the last three fiscal years, we have not experienced any material cybersecurity incidents and the expenses we have incurred from cybersecurity incidents were immaterial. This includes penalties and settlements, of which there were none. 58 Cybersecurity Governance; Management Cybersecurity is an important part of our risk management processes and an area of focus for our board of directors and management. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors is responsible for the oversight of risks from cybersecurity threats. At least annually, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee receives an update from management of our cybersecurity threat risk management and strategy processes covering topics such as data security posture, progress towards pre-determined risk-mitigation-related goals, our incident response plan, and material cybersecurity threat risks or incidents and developments, as well as the steps management has taken to respond to such risks. In such sessions, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee generally receives materials that include a cybersecurity scorecard and other materials discussing current and emerging material cybersecurity threat risks, and describing our ability to mitigate those risks, as well as recent developments, evolving standards, technological developments and information security considerations arising with respect to our peers and third parties, and discusses such matters with our Director of IT. Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also receive prompt and timely information regarding any cybersecurity incident that meets establishing reporting thresholds, as well as ongoing updates regarding any such incident until it has been addressed. Members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are also encouraged to regularly engage in conversations with management on cybersecurity-related news events and discuss any updates to our cybersecurity risk management and strategy programs. Material cybersecurity threat risks are also considered during separate board meeting discussions of important matters like enterprise risk management, operational budgeting, business continuity planning, mergers and acquisitions, brand management, and other relevant matters. Our cybersecurity risk management and strategy processes, which are discussed in greater detail above, are led by our Director of IT and are overseen by our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of our Board of Directors. Our Director of IT has over 20 years of prior work experience in various roles involving managing information security, developing cybersecurity strategy, and implementing effective information and cybersecurity programs. Our Director of IT is informed about and monitors the prevention, mitigation, detection, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents through their management of, and participation in, the cybersecurity risk management and strategy processes described above, including the operation of our incident response plan. As discussed above, our Director of IT reports to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee about cybersecurity threat risks, among other cybersecurity related matters, at least annually.

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