From breach to bias: Measuring reputation value and trust recovery after cyber incidents in critical infrastructure
Bonnie Rushing, Shouhuai Xu, Ashley Fairman · International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection · 2025
Cybersecurity incidents increasingly affect not only operational integrity but also business reputation, especially for companies managing critical infrastructure. This study introduces the Reputation Impact Score (RIS), a novel, repeatable metric that quantifies reputational damage using a combination of financial volatility, investor trust, and sentiment analysis from employees and customers. The RIS model is applied to real-world case studies of high-profile cybersecurity incidents affecting operational technology (OT) companies, including Equifax, SolarWinds, and American Water Works. By integrating open-source financial data and public sentiment ratings, the RIS enables organizations to assess recovery progress and predict potential reputational harm. This work introduces a practical framework to quantify reputational resilience in critical infrastructure firms.