SEC Cyber Enforcement Examination Initiative

SEC Examiners will gather information on cybersecurity-related controls and will also test to assess implementation of certain firm controls. In order to promote better compliance practices and inform the Commission’s understanding of cybersecurity preparedness, this Initiative will focus on the following areas:

• Governance and Risk Assessment: Examiners may assess whether registrants have cybersecurity governance and risk assessment processes relative to the key areas of focus discussed below. Examiners also may assess whether firms are periodically evaluating cybersecurity risks and whether their controls and risk assessment processes are tailored to their business. Examiners also may review the level of communication to, and involvement of, senior management and boards of directors.

• Access Rights and Controls: Firms may be particularly at risk of a data breach from a failure to implement basic controls to prevent unauthorized access to systems or information, such as multifactor authentication or updating access rights based on personnel or system changes. Examiners may review how firms control access to various systems and data via management of user credentials, authentication, and authorization methods. This may include a review of controls associated with remote access, customer logins, passwords, firm protocols to address customer login problems, network segmentation, and tiered access.

• Data Loss Prevention: Some data breaches may have resulted from the absence of robust controls in the areas of patch management and system configuration. Examiners may assess how firms monitor the volume of content transferred outside of the firm by its employees or through third parties, such as by email attachments or uploads. Examiners also may assess how firms monitor for potentially unauthorized data transfers and may review how firms verify the authenticity of a customer request to transfer funds.

• Vendor Management: Some of the largest data breaches over the last few years may have resulted from the hacking of third party vendor platforms. As a result, examiners may focus on firm practices and controls related to vendor management, such as due diligence with regard to vendor selection, monitoring and oversight of vendors, and contract terms. Examiners may assess how vendor relationships are considered as part of the firm’s ongoing risk assessment process as well as how the firm determines the appropriate level of due diligence to conduct on a vendor.

• Training: Without proper training, employees and vendors may put a firm’s data at risk. Some data breaches may result from unintentional employee actions such as a misplaced laptop, accessing a client account through an unsecured internet connection, or opening messages or downloading attachments from an unknown source. With proper training, however, employees and vendors can be the firm’s first line of defense, such as by alerting firm IT professionals to suspicious activity and understanding and following firm protocols with respect to technology. Examiners may focus on how training is tailored to specific job functions and how training is designed to encourage responsible employee and vendor behavior. Examiners also may review how procedures for responding to cyber incidents under an incident response plan are integrated into regular personnel and vendor training.

• Incident Response: Firms generally acknowledge the increased risks related to cybersecurity attacks and potential future breaches. Examiners may assess whether firms have established policies, assigned roles, assessed system vulnerabilities, and developed plans to address possible future events. This includes determining which firm data, assets, and services warrant the most protection to help prevent attacks from causing significant harm. While these are the primary focus areas for the Cybersecurity Examination Initiative, examiners may select additional areas based on risks identified during the course of the examinations. As part of OCIE’s efforts to promote compliance and to share with the industry where it sees cybersecurity-related risks, OCIE is including, as the Appendix to this Risk Alert, a sample request for information and documents to be used in this Initiative. III. Conclusion In sharing the key focus areas for the Cybersecurity Examination Initiative and the attached document request, the NEP hopes to encourage registered broker-dealers and investment advisers to reflect upon their own practices, policies, and procedures with respect to cybersecurity. MORE