The Financial Planning Association is offering a new certification program to equip advisors with the skills necessary to avoid cybersecurity pitfalls.
The Cybersecurity for Financial Planners program is available now and open to FPA members and non-members (with a reduced fee for members). The program was created with cyber compliance organizations FCI Cyber and Buckler, LLC.
“With this certificate program, participants will not only enhance their understanding of cybersecurity but also ensure the integrity and trustworthiness of their practices,” FPA President Paul Brahim said.
According to the FPA, the courses are designed for advisors at firms of any size, helping them cope with “today’s complex cyber landscape” and the compliance requirements individuals in those firms may need to meet (who lack any formal training or education in cybersecurity).
The programs will include six 30-minute modules on the central tenets of cybersecurity protection and regulatory demands. The modules focus on cybersecurity program foundations and maintenance, as well as how to implement and assess “zero trust security controls.” Each is accompanied by an exam covering the topic.
In addition to guiding advisors in crafting and keeping a cybersecurity program, the module will show how firms can stay in compliance with the relevant regulatory agencies, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Internal Revenue Service and the New York Department of Financial Services.
According to the FPA, the program aligns with the CFP Board of Standards and qualifies for CFP CE credits. The program’s speakers include FCI CEO Brian Edelman and Buckler Founder and CISO Vincent Guyaux.
The FPA rolled out a cybersecurity training certification program for advisors in 2020, also developed in concert with FCI. Like the newer program, the 2020 program boosted cybersecurity knowledge among participants (and earned them CFP CE credits).
However, according to an FPA spokesperson, so much has changed over the past five years that the organization opted to tear “that entire program down” and rebuild it.