Weekly Security Tip - Keep Your Team Sharp Against Social Engineering Attacks

Headline: Regularly training employees on phishing, pretexting, and vishing is essential to preventing social engineering attacks.

Why it matters:

Social engineering remains one of the most effective ways attackers compromise financial firms. Instead of hacking systems, criminals manipulate people—using phishing emails, fake identities, urgent requests, or fraudulent phone calls to trick employees into sharing information or approving sensitive actions.

Regulated firms must take this seriously. Under Reg S-P, cyber-insurance controls, and vendor-risk frameworks, employee awareness is a required safeguard. When staff understand how attackers operate—and have seen real examples or simulations—they are dramatically less likely to fall for scams that could expose client information or authorize fraudulent transfers.

Human error is still the biggest cause of breaches. Training turns your employees from a vulnerability into a strong line of defense.

Quick Tips

What You Should Do:

• Provide recurring training on phishing, pretexting, and vishing using clear examples and updated scenarios.

• Use real-world simulations so employees learn to spot and report suspicious emails, calls, and messages.

• Reinforce a “trust but verify” culture—employees should pause, question, and confirm unusual or urgent requests.:

Call to Action:

Review your team’s Advisor Armor training completion and phishing-test performance this month. Identify one area—such as handling suspicious calls or verifying identity—that could benefit from reinforcement, and schedule a quick follow-up reminder or micro-lesson. Continuous improvement keeps your defenses strong.