A hacker penetrates a retailer's network security and steals credit card information from a database containing stored transaction data. The hacker uses the harvested information to make purchases and to fraudulently obtain loans in each cardholder's name. Cardholders sue the retailer to recover their cost to repair credit and discharge fraudulent loans, and seek damages for emotional distress. The banks that issued the cards compromised in the attack also sue the retailer to recover card re-issuance and cardholder notification costs.

A doctor's practice sustains a network security breach. The attacker steals patient records, including financial information and health benefits account data. Data is resold to individuals who use benefits information to fraudulently obtain medical services. Legitimate patients sue seeking compensation for emotional distress in addition to other consequential damages. The legitimate patients' health insurance carriers sue the doctor's practice to recover reimbursements made for fraudulently obtained health services.

A manufacturer of custom pipe uses its network to manage inventory and supply of direct material (steel, aluminum, copper) required for pipe production. An employee who was denied a promotion hacks into the manufacturer's network and reduces the raw material inventory levels used to trigger re-supply orders. As a result the manufacturer's on-hand raw material is not sufficient to meet production demands, causing the delay of production and customer deliveries. The manufacturer's customers sue the manufacturer seeking recovery of late delivery penalties imposed by their downstream customer and also sue for income lost due to their inability to fulfill customer orders.

A construction company is a subcontractor on a large construction project. The owners rely on their network to manage their subcontractors (other trades) and to manage material supply. A virus infects the company's network, corrupting project scheduling and disrupting supply operations. As a result, the general contractor's overall project is delayed. The general contractor is obligated to pay substantial penalties for delayed delivery and sues the construction company to recover late delivery penalties.

A non-profit charity accepts donations charged to the donor's credit card. Donations are accepted by phone or via the Internet. In some cases, donors authorize the charity to charge a small recurring monthly donation to the donor's credit or debit card. The charity retains donor information, including credit card numbers, to support pre-authorized recurring donations. A hacker penetrates the charity's network security and copies the retained card data. The hacker sells the information to an ID theft ring. Later, the stolen information is used to withdraw funds from donor's bank accounts. The donors sue the charity to recover stolen funds and the cost to repair their credit history.