Like all Registered Investment Adviser Firms, we maintain cyber security policies and procedures to protect sensitive client data from theft and fraud. Many of the measures we take can be extended to you and your computers for the greatest level of protection. Here are some of our best practices that you also can implement to make sure your financial data remains secure:
- Encrypt your hard-drive. If your hard-drive is encrypted, it cannot be accessed by someone who physically steals your computer but does not have your login password. Computers with Windows 8.1 or greater encrypt your hard drive as a default setting.
- Maintain password integrity. Set strong passwords, keep them a secret, do not write them down, and change them every 1 to 3 months or so. You can use a password vault like LastPass to manage passwords. LastPass also can run a security check to make sure you are not using the same password on multiple sites.
- Use 2-Step Authentication. If available, use 2-Step Authentication on extra-sensitive sites like your bank account where transactions can be processed online. This extra measure requires entry of a randomly generated code each time you log into your account and is very effective.
- Do not email sensitive information. Your social security number and full account numbers should never be emailed. Instead, upload within a secure site or send in a password protected document or .pdf. For our clients, you can upload to us securely through your Blueleaf account login.
- Do not access secure information on public networks. It’s much safer to tether to your cell phone and use the cellular network than it is to log into a public wifi network at a restaurant or in a hotel.
These are some of the guidelines we use to keep your data safe. As a client/adviser team, working together using these security measures, we can make it much harder on those intending to do you financial harm.
If you are interested in discussing other security measures, please contact us so we can discuss.
