The Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) has observed an apparent increase in sophistication of ransomware attacks on SEC registrants, which include broker-dealers, investment advisers, and investment companies, and also ransomware attacks impacting service providers to registrants.

OCIE encourages registrants, as well as other financial services market participants, to monitor the cybersecurity alerts published by the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), including the updated alert published on June 30, 2020 relating to recent ransomware attacks. OCIE further encourages registrants to share this information with their third-party service providers, particularly with those that maintain client assets and records for registrants.

View the Risk Alert: Cybersecurity: Ransomware Alert