The primary role of an investment compliance professional is to meet all the regulatory and reporting requirements set by regulatory and compliance bodies. An investment compliance professional plays a dynamic role and is expected to provide the best course of action in any compliance-related disputes. Over the past decade, compliance officers and investment compliance service providers have grown to accommodate changes in technology and their effects on compliance requirements. Let’s delve deeper to understand what a compliance professional needs to know amid an era of rising cybercrimes and cybersecurity threats.

Cybersecurity In Financial Domains

Technology has made it easier for us to complete any work/task faster with optimal results. However, with new technology comes new threats that have adverse consequences. For instance, cyberattacks can cause a loss of confidential data, hardware/software damage, theft of intellectual property and financial casualty for a business or an individual. To counter this problem, businesses or individuals need to opt for cybersecurity (a convergence of technology and processes that help protect them from digital attacks).

In the past couple of years, the fintech sector has grown exponentially, as its services are focused on providing better ways to carry out financial transactions. Fintech companies aim to provide a seamless digital experience to customers, which means all their activities will have to be carried out online. Traditional banks and investment firms, including investment compliance service providers, rely on technology to improve customer experience, making them more prone to cyber theft and digital attacks.

Cybersecurity And Investment Compliance Services

Given the growing inclination of investment firms towards using the latest technology for delivering seamless services, investment compliance services professionals should have a thorough understanding of cybersecurity and related challenges. Compliance in the digital era is complex. It is limited to following rules set by regulatory bodies and requires understanding the intersection of technology and financial services.

Penetration testing is a required method commonly used to expose the existing vulnerabilities of IT infrastructure. It helps understand whether an IT infrastructure of an investment firm is well protected from a wide range of digital security threats or not. It commonly focuses on vulnerabilities related to the server, endpoints, web applications, network devices, mobile devices and wireless infrastructure.

Methods, such as penetration testing, offer the following benefits to investment compliance service providers:

  • Effective risk management
  • Enhanced business continuity
  • Better protection for clients and partners

In a nutshell

In the contemporary scenario where financial firms have a digital-first approach, it is crucial for investment compliance service providers to understand how cybersecurity can help mitigate digital threats and other security challenges.

Author's Bio: 

Alisha Hill is a freelance writer cum blogger.