Archive

Best Practices for Securing a Microsoft 365 Environment



Microsoft 365 sits at the center of most advisory and financial firms’ operations. Email, document storage, identity, collaboration, and authentication all converge there—which makes it one of the most critical…

Cufflinks or Handcuffs: Navigating the New Era of Executive Cybersecurity Liability


For years, cybersecurity was treated as a technical problem—something delegated to IT, managed quietly in the background, and addressed with vague references to “best practices.” I have spent enough time…

Guide to Performing a Cybersecurity Risk and Threat Assessment using Shodan.



Introduction to the Risk and Threat Assessment.

Most SEC-registered firms believe they have a clear understanding of which systems are exposed to the public internet. In reality, many firms do…

New Guide Posted: How to Execute the Cybersecurity Policies & Procedures Manual

I’ve posted a new document to The BrainTrust repository:


“An Overview and Introduction to the MTradecraft Cybersecurity Policies & Procedures Manual.” 


This guide is the execution-layer companion to the…

How A Spy Would Conduct a Vendor Due Diligence Analysis for an SEC Registered Firm


Leveraging Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) to Fortify RIA Vendor Oversight:

In the intelligence world, you never rely solely on what a subject tells you.  

 You validate the story through…

The Future of RIA Operations, IT Infrastructure, and Security...my $0.02.

Over the past year or two-ish, a powerful convergence of forces has quietly — but decisively — reshaped the risk landscape for every RIA and financial institution.

This shift is…

New Cybersecurity Policies & Procedures Template Released — Fully Updated for the 2024 Regulation S-P Amendments

A newly revised Cybersecurity Policies & Procedures Template is now available to all members. This update incorporates the 2024 amendments to Regulation S-P (effective August 2, 2024) and aligns the…

The New SEC Regulation S-P Amendments: What Every RIA Needs to Know


Effective Date: August 2, 2024

Compliance Deadline for Smaller Firms: June 2026

Regulation Applies To: SEC-registered Investment Advisers, Broker-Dealers, Investment Companies, and Transfer Agents

The Full SEC…

Mastering the Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures Manual




This video walks through how we build a cybersecurity Policies & Procedures Manual that not only satisfies today’s regulatory requirements but also anticipates what’s coming next.

Although Rule 206(4)-9 was…

New Compliance Template Available: The Vendor Due Diligence Questionnaire

We’ve added a new Vendor Due Diligence & Risk Assessment Questionnaire to help you streamline one of the most critical parts of your cybersecurity compliance program — assessing the firms…

The SEC RIA Incident Response Plan



New Resource Added: The SEC-Compliant Incident Response Plan Template

We’ve just added a major new resource to your member library — the MTradecraft Incident Response Plan (IRP) Template.

This…

The Unseen Risk of a Stolen iPhone to your Firm's Network

The Single Point of Failure: How a Stolen iPhone Can Unravel Corporate Security

The is information very few want to talk about. 

In today's interconnected world, where corporate data is…

Why Email Is Still Broken — and What You Can Do About It

You can use the free MX Toolbox Supertool to check your email records and compare your settings to the recommendations below:

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So what is broken?

Email has been around…

The Cybersecurity Blueprint for SEC-Registered Firms


If you’re an SEC-registered firm, “good enough” cybersecurity won’t cut it—especially after an exam, a growth spurt, or a leadership change. The Cybersecurity Blueprint is a practical, step-by-step program that…
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Vulnerability Summary for the Week of July 7th - 1134 New Vulnerabilities Identified.

You’re receiving this bulletin as part of your BrainTrust membership. 

Each week we deliver a curated snapshot of newly published cybersecurity vulnerabilities that may affect SEC-registered firms and their vendors…

Vulnerability Summary for the Week of June 30, 2025

You’re receiving this bulletin as part of your BrainTrust membership. 

Each week, we deliver a curated snapshot of newly published cybersecurity vulnerabilities that may impact SEC-registered firms and their vendors.