A new report likens data to “the new oil”—an immensely valuable asset for businesses but also one that can create cataclysmic fallout if those entrusted with protecting it—including legal chiefs—fail to do so.

“Just as energy companies face tremendous implications if they mishandle oil, corporations that fail to keep their customers’ data secure or comply with applicable data-related regulations could face loss of revenue, severe regulatory penalties and crushing defeat in the court of public opinion,” according to FTI Consulting’s report “The Most Valuable, Vulnerable Commodity.”