FINRA Fines Osaic Wealth and Securities America for Cybersecurity Failures

Posted on October 30th, 2024 at 11:01 AM
FINRA Fines Osaic Wealth and Securities America for Cybersecurity Failures

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined and censured independent broker-dealers Osaic Wealth and Securities America for cybersecurity lapses that exposed the private information of over 32,000 customers. According to InvestmentNews, each firm has agreed to pay $150,000 for failing to establish and maintain adequate written supervisory procedures to protect client records and information.

FINRA's settlement letter, known as an Acceptance, Waiver and Consent (“AWC”), highlights the firms' deficiencies, including the lack of multi-factor authentication for email accounts, inadequate encryption for outbound emails containing customer non-public information, and insufficient maintenance of email access logs. Between January 2021 and March 2023, unauthorized third parties accessed sensitive information—such as social security numbers, bank account details, and driver's license numbers—of approximately 28,000 Osaic customers and 4,640 Securities America clients.

FINRA noted that its examiners had previously warned both firms about their inadequate cybersecurity controls at branch offices. The broker-dealers, owned by a parent company also using the Osaic name, had relied on an enterprise-wide cybersecurity policy provided by the parent. This policy allowed each branch to develop its own cybersecurity and data loss prevention programs, leading to inconsistencies.

The firms self-reported the incidents to FINRA and have accepted the penalties without admitting or denying the allegations. Following the breaches, Osaic and Securities America informed affected customers and engaged outside consultants to assist with their response. Since March 2023, both firms have strengthened their multi-factor authentication requirements for all business-related email accounts, according to InvestmentNews.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, finra

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

I am so blessed to have you and your dynamic team defending me. Your ethics, forward thinking and strategies are amazing.  You guys are the best group of attorneys in the country that I could hire to handle this complicated case.

Cindy C.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

March 12, 2025
GPB Capital Investors May Receive Some Compensation Under Proposed Distribution Plan

GPB Capital Holdings investors have not received returns on their investments since 2018. According to InvestmentNews, after years of litigation, a court-appointed receiver has submitted a plan to return funds to the 17,000 investors who purchased $1.8 billion in GPB limited partnerships.

March 11, 2025
Former CNBC Analyst Pleads Guilty to $2.7 Million Securities Fraud Scheme

James Arthur McDonald Jr., a former financial advisor and frequent CNBC guest analyst, has agreed to plead guilty to securities fraud, admitting to defrauding investors out of at least $2.7 million, as reported by ThinkAdvisor. The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

March 10, 2025
Wells Fargo and Merrill Lynch Settle SEC Charges Over Cash Sweep Program Policies

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced settlements with Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network LLC, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated over allegations that they failed to implement proper policies and procedures for their cash sweep programs.