1. The Deep Dive: Resilience vs. Resistance
In 2026, "Operational Resilience" is the new benchmark. Regulators now assume a breach will happen. Their question for you during an exam will be: How quickly can you recover critical business lines without impacting the broader financial ecosystem?
The SEC's 2026 Priorities have officially displaced cryptocurrency with a laser focus on AI Governance and Regulation S-P amendments. For smaller firms, the June 2026 deadline for these amendments is approaching fast. You are now required to have a written incident response program that can notify affected individuals within 30 days—and sometimes as little as 72 hours for certain federal agencies.
2. The Pulse: 2026 Financial Sector Quick Hits
The "Shadow AI" Data Leak: 87% of financial firms identified AI-related vulnerabilities as their fastest-growing risk this year. Are your employees pasting sensitive client spreadsheets into unvetted AI "productivity" tools?
FFIEC Strengthening Third-Party Oversight: Regulators are increasing scrutiny on "SaaS Sprawl." Your security is now legally tied to the security of your fintech vendors.
The IRS & The Mandatory WISP: If you handle tax data, a Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is no longer a "best practice"—it is a legal requirement for PTIN renewal.
3. The Win: Your 15-Minute "WISP" Check
A Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is the first document an examiner will ask for. Don't let a "shelfware" PDF from 2022 be your answer.
4. The Executive Action: Don't Guess. Know.
Knowing you have gaps is the first step. Closing them before an examiner finds them is the second.
Move from "hope-based security" to proof. A qualified partner should provide a roadmap that mirrors a regulatory examination, identifying gaps in WISP documentation before they become liabilities.
What's next: