SEC Chief Wants Advisors, BDs to Improve ‘Cyber Hygiene’

What You Need to Know

  • Gensler has asked for recommendations on how advisors and BDs can strengthen their cybersecurity and incident reporting.

  • Gensler sees opportunities to expand Regulation S-P, a rule about protecting customers' personal data.

  • He also wants to broaden Reg SCI to more types of firms, like big market makers, BDs and Treasury trading platforms.

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Advisor Armor
The 2021 Year in Review and What to Expect in Data Security in 2022

This year saw a number of significant changes on both the state and federal levels with regard to data privacy and data security. These changes reflect the increasing focus on the digital landscape to which the global economy has shifted and emphasized a much sharper focus on protecting sensitive information. Indeed, the significance of having strong cybersecurity regulations was emphasized from the top down in the United States, including an emphasis on improving and updating cybersecurity defenses and protections for federal government networks, as outlined in President Biden's May 12, 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity. This article highlights the legislative and litigation developments in 2021 and discusses what may lie ahead in 2022 for businesses that collect, process, and store sensitive information.

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Advisor Armor
3 Steps to a Safer RIA

What You Need to Know

  • Of the 6.3 billion global web attacks in 2020, 736 million targeted the financial services business.

  • The most likely cybersecurity threats for a small office are manageable, even for a non-technical employee.

  • Beware of non-computer items that offer gateways to your network, like coffee makers.

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Advisor Armor
Employees are the first line of cyber defense

Companies of all sizes have adapted to remote and hybrid models for the workplace, and many are making the changes permanent as employees grow accustomed to this new environment. Today’s digital economy presents unique opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to connect with employees and customers in new and efficient ways but comes with considerable cyber risk.

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Advisor Armor
SEC Commissioner’s Speech Reinforces RIAs’ Cybersecurity Obligations

On October 29, 2021, Commissioner Elad L. Roisman spoke to the Los Angeles County Bar Association and discussed the challenges SEC registrants face when dealing with cyber threats. In addition to articulating the current obligations of Registered Investment Advisors (“RIAs”) regarding cybersecurity, Roisman expressed his belief that further rulemaking is necessary to clarify advisors’ obligations. His speech can be reviewed at https://www.sec.gov/news/speech/roisman-cybersecurity-102921.

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Advisor Armor
Robinhood Data Breach Impacted Millions of Users — Here's How the Extortion Attempt Affects You

A hacker exposed personal information for millions of Robinhood users.

Popular stock trading app Robinhood recently experienced a security breach that exposed the personal information of millions of users. While most Robinhood users—and their investments—are safe, there are still important steps you should take to keep your accounts and personal data secure.

What was stolen in the Robinhood security breach?

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Advisor Armor
SEC Must Step Up Cybersecurity Rules for B-Ds, RIAs: Commissioner

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s current rules relating to cybersecurity need to be enhanced with a new one specifically addressing reporting of cybersecurity breaches by registered investment advisors and broker-dealers, according to one of its commissioners.

The SEC has some general rules relating to cybersecurity already in place, Commissioner Elad Roisman, a Republican appointee, said in prepared remarks for his speech at the Los Angeles County Bar Association last week. The Safeguards Rule, implemented in 2000, for example, requires broker-dealers to implement policies and procedures to protect client records and ensure confidentiality of customer information as well as protect against unauthorized access, he said. The SEC also adopted a rule in 2013 requiring certain SEC-regulated entities to have policies and procedures aimed at preventing identify theft, according to Roisman.

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Advisor Armor