SEC orders Equiniti to pay $850K over alleged lax cybersecurity
By 
Adrianne Appel2024-08-21T21:03:00
Equiniti Trust Company has agreed to pay $850,000 to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle allegations that its failed security measures allowed millions in client funds to be stolen in two cyber incidents.
Equiniti, formerly known as American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, experienced two cyber intrusions, in 2022 and 2023, respectively, which led to the loss of more than $6.6 million in client funds, the SEC said a press release Tuesday. American Stock reimbursed clients who experienced losses, the agency noted.
However, it was American Stock’s poor security measures that allowed the intruders to be successful at stealing client assets, the SEC said in its order.
Related articles
-
News BriefGovernment contractor fined $307K after third-party hack compromised personal data
It was a double whammy of cybersecurity no-nos for a federal contractor hit with a data breach: The personal data of Medicare beneficiaries contained in unencrypted screenshots were allegedly compromised when their third-party vendor’s server was hacked.
-
PremiumExpert: Clorox ‘trying to do the right thing’ with rapid cyberattack disclosures
The timing of a recent cyberattack against Clorox juxtaposed against the Securities and Exchange Commission’s adoption of its cybersecurity incident disclosure rule soon to take effect has presented a case study regarding how companies might seek to meet the requirements of the rule.
-
Blog
Some key cyber-security tips for financial firms
As the SEC and FINRA are taking cyber-security much more seriously, John Reed Stark outlines a few ways in which financial firms can also do more to protect their data.
More from Regulatory Enforcement
-
News BriefCVS hit with nearly $1 billion fine in Omnicare false claims verdict
CVS has vowed to appeal $948.8 million in fines and damages imposed by a judge Tuesday on its Omnicare unit, for billing Medicare for tens of thousands of false claims.
-
PremiumIn 17 years, Discover Financial never managed to clean up a billion dollar mess
Federal banking regulators have laid the blame for Discover Financial Services charging merchants $1 billion in excessive credit card fees over 17 years squarely at the feet of company executives.
-
News BriefCFPB drops $95M enforcement action against Navy Federal, without explanation
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has dropped a $95 million enforcement action against Navy Federal Credit Union, the latest regulatory pullback by the agency under President Donald Trump.