How to Identify and Avoid Vishing and Smishing Attacks WHAT HAPPENED? You likely have heard of phishing attacks, a type of social engineering scheme that tricks victims into clicking email links infected with malware, or into giving sensitive information to cybercriminals posing as a credible contact. Sophisticated attackers use [...]
5 Ways to Strengthen Your Firm’s Vendor Management Program WHAT HAPPENED? Vendor management is a critical piece of creating a comprehensive information security strategy for firms. Vendors processing or maintaining sensitive information on behalf of your firm and its clients are especially important to review and conduct due diligence [...]
Newly Identified Compliance Risks Due to COVID-19: What You Should Know WHAT HAPPENED? Last week, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (OCIE) issued a Risk Alert which outlines new compliance risks stemming from the global pandemic. The SEC and OCIE have remained [...]
New Security Feature for Web CRD and IARD Systems WHAT HAPPENED? For Super Account Administrators (SAAs) and Account Administrators (AAs) on FINRA’s Web CRD or IARD platforms, a new security feature is now required as part of the login process. For these administrators, FINRA is phasing in a multi-factor [...]
Six Ways to Help Protect Your Firm from a Cybersecurity Breach WHAT HAPPENED? As the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how most industries are conducting business, one of the biggest challenges is the transition to working from home. Many people are using their personal devices for work, often on an [...]
OCIE Releases 2020 Examination Priorities WHAT HAPPENED? On Jan. 7, 2020, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (OCIE) released its 2020 Examination Priorities. The list is published annually to provide clear guidance to professionals and to highlight pertinent risks to investors. Several [...]
Alleged Cryptocurrency Scam Serves as Reminder of Digital Assets Risks WHAT HAPPENED? On Aug. 13, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a press release regarding charges against Reginald “Reggie” Middleton and his two companies, Veritaseum, Inc. and Veritaseum, LLC. The complaint, filed in Brooklyn, New York, alleges that [...]
How are Advisers Selected for an OCIE Exam? WHAT HAPPENED? In Fiscal Year 2018, the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations of the Securities and Exchange Commission examined nearly 17% of SEC-registered investment advisers. For the past several years, the number of examinations performed annually has steadily increased and [...]
SEC Chairman Clayton Provides Statement on Cryptocurrency and Initial Coin Offerings WHAT HAPPENED? On December 11, 2017, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton released a statement on cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings (ICO) to serve as guidance as both markets continue to expand. The statement provides Clayton’s concerns for the markets [...]
SEC Modifies Final Rule for Form N-PORT WHAT HAPPENED? The SEC has adopted a temporary final rule that will delay the compliance dates for filing a Form N-PORT. The SEC made this modification in order to evaluate their data security practices for material, nonpublic information and uplift the EDGAR system [...]