Knowledge Center

It's Friday at 5:25 PM. You're wrapping up a long week of grading, hauling, and managing crews. Then your phone buzzes—your foreman can't access the project files. Your equipment tracking system is frozen. A message appears on your screen: "Your data has been encrypted. Pay $137,000 in Bitcoin within 48 hours."

This isn't a scene from a movie. It's a ransomware attack, and it's happening more often to contractors in the excavating and grading industry. 

Excavating contractors might not think of themselves as targets for cybercrime. After all, the work is physical, gritty, and grounded in the real world. But behind every job site is a digital backbone: project management software, GPS-enabled equipment, payroll systems, vendor communications, and client data. 

Cybercriminals know this. And they're increasingly targeting small to mid-sized contractors who may not have robust cybersecurity defenses. In fact, recent data shows that over 58% of cyber breaches impact small businesses, and 60% of those businesses close within six months of being hacked. 

Here's the uncomfortable truth: cybercriminals aren't always "hacking" their way into your systems. More often, they're being invited in by well-meaning employees who click on a link, open an email attachment, or respond to a fake invoice.

In one recent case, a contractor's office manager received an email that looked like it came from a trusted vendor. She clicked the link, and within seconds, malware spread through the company's network, encrypting job files, payroll data, and client records. 

The employee didn't mean to cause harm, but she opened the front door to the attackers. 

This is where cyber insurance makes all the difference. One of the most overlooked benefits isn't just the financial coverage—it's access to professionals when you need them most. 

Imagine this: It's late Friday afternoon. Your systems are down. You're staring at a ransom demand. Who do you call?

The police? Your accountant? Your IT guy? Your lawyer?

They might not know what to do next. But a proper cyber insurance policy may give you access to a 24/7 hotline—a direct line to a breach coach who can immediately assemble a team of forensic analysts, legal advisors, and IT specialists to contain the damage, recover your data, and get your business back online. 

That's the real value: having someone to call when everything goes wrong. 

Cyber insurance may cover:

• Ransomware and extortion payments
• Business interruption losses
• Data recovery and hardware replacement
• Legal and regulatory costs
• Social engineering fraud
• Lost or stolen devices containing sensitive data

And yes—even if the breach happens on a weekend, you'll have someone to call. 

So, what can excavating and grading contractors do today?

• Update your software and patch vulnerabilities.
• Train your team to spot phishing and suspicious emails. 
• Use strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication.
• Back up your data—and test those backups. 
• Talk to your insurance advisor about cyber coverage that fits your business. 

Cyber threats aren't going away. And while you may not be a tech company, your business runs on data just the same. Whether you're grading a highway or prepping a foundation, your digital systems are just as critical as your machines. 

Cyber insurance gives you peace of mind—and a lifeline when the unexpected hits.

So when the call comes at 5:25 PM on a Friday...who are you going to call?