Comcast 2012 Annual Report Download - page 37

Table of Contents
We rely on network and information systems and other technologies, as well as key properties, and a disruption, cyber
attack, failure or destruction of such networks, systems, technologies or properties may disrupt our businesses.
Network and information systems and other technologies, including those related to our network management, customer service
operations and programming delivery, are critical to our business activities. Network and information systems-
related events, such as
computer hackings, cyber attacks, computer viruses, worms or other destructive or disruptive software, process breakdowns, denial
of service attacks, malicious social engineering or other malicious activities, or any combination of the foregoing, or power outages,
natural disasters, terrorist attacks or other similar events, could result in a degradation or disruption of our services, excessive call
volume to call centers or damage to our properties, equipment and data. These events also could result in large expenditures to
repair or replace the damaged properties, networks or information systems or to protect them from similar events in the future.
Further, any security breaches, such as misappropriation, misuse, leakage, falsification or accidental release or loss of information
maintained in our information technology systems, including customer, personnel and vendor data, could damage our reputation and
require us to expend significant capital and other resources to remedy any such security breach. We may provide certain
confidential, proprietary and personal information to third parties in connection with our businesses, and while we obtain assurances
that these third parties will protect this information, there is a risk that this information may be compromised. Moreover, the amount
and scope of insurance we maintain against losses resulting from any such events or security breaches may not be sufficient to
cover our losses or otherwise adequately compensate us for any disruptions to our businesses that may result, and the occurrence
of any such events or security breaches could have a material adverse effect on our businesses.
The risk of these systems-
related events and security breaches occurring has intensified, in part because we maintain certain
information necessary to conduct our businesses in digital form stored on cloud servers. In the ordinary course of our business, there
are frequent attempts to cause such systems-related events and security breaches, and we have experienced a few minor systems-
related events that, to date, have not resulted in any significant degradation or disruption to our network or information systems or
our services or operations. While we develop and maintain systems seeking to prevent systems-
related events and security
breaches from occurring, the development and maintenance of these systems is costly and requires ongoing monitoring and
updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become more sophisticated. Despite these efforts,
there can be no assurance that these events and security breaches will not occur in the future or not have an adverse effect on our
businesses.
Our businesses depend on using and protecting certain intellectual property rights and on not infringing the intellectual
property rights of others.
We rely on our intellectual property, such as patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, as well as licenses and other
agreements with our vendors and other third parties, to use various technologies, conduct our operations and sell our products and
services. Legal challenges to our intellectual property rights and claims of intellectual property infringement by third parties could
require that we enter into royalty or licensing agreements on unfavorable terms, incur substantial monetary liability or be enjoined
preliminarily or permanently from further use of the intellectual property in question or from the continuation of our businesses as
currently conducted. We may need to change our business practices if any of these events occur, which may limit our ability to
compete effectively and could have an adverse effect on our results of operations. Even if we believe any such
challenges or claims
are without merit, they can be time-consuming and costly to defend and divert management’
s attention and resources away from our
businesses. Moreover, if we are unable to obtain or continue to obtain licenses from our vendors and other third parties on
reasonable terms, our businesses could be adversely affected.
Comcast 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K
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