6 Financial Cybersecurity Tips

Key Points – 6 Financial Cybersecurity Tips

Why Financial Cybersecurity Is Pivotal for Protecting Your Wealth
Financial Cybersecurity Tips from Fidelity Investments
What Threats Should You Be Protecting Yourself Against?
4-Minute Read

In this article, we’ll cover financial cybersecurity awareness tips that are targeted to help individuals and organizations protect themselves from various threats, such as phishing and ransomware, and how to act if your information has been compromised. Understanding these tips may help with safeguarding your financial and other personal information.

There’s More to Wealth Protection Than Having Insurance

Having insurance that meets your unique needs is a critical component of wealth management. However, there are some additional necessary steps to protecting your wealth in 2026. Have you taken any recent action toward protecting yourself from financial cybersecurity threats? Let’s review some tips from our friends at Fidelity Investments that may help.

6 Financial Cybersecurity Tips

Stay Alert: Cybercriminals constantly try new hacking methods to gain access to financial or other private information of individuals and businesses. Stay vigilant when you receive unsolicited calls and emails that request such information.
Secure Your Credentials: Securing your credentials goes beyond just updating your passwords to your accounts. Rather than saving passwords in your web browser, consider utilizing a password manager that can help with creating strong, unique passwords to further protect your accounts.₁ Additionally, don’t forget to set up multi-factor authentication and use face/fingerprint ID, if applicable.
Secure Your Devices: When was the last time that your phone, computer, or other device had updates installed? If you’re unsure, consider going into your device settings and having updates installed automatically. Using antivirus software and backing up data to a cloud location is also recommended.
Secure Your Network: Having secure passwords doesn’t just apply to your credentials. It’s important to have a strong, secure password for your home WiFi as well. Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) may help with adding a layer of security to your internet connection. Also, be extremely careful when using WiFi in public locations such as restaurants or airports, as those networks may not have virus protection.
Secure Your Reputation: Being a victim of identity theft can be a very scary, uncomfortable feeling. Freezing your credit across the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) is something to consider._{2, 3, 4} Another important step to securing your reputation is to limit the amount of personal information that you include about yourself on social media.
Act Quickly If Compromised: If you become a victim of a financial cybersecurity attack, what should you do? That will depend on the circumstances of the attack, but here’s how to act quickly.

Steps to Take If Compromised If Your Account Has Been Compromised

Reach out to the provider ASAP.
Update your password from a device you don’t typically use for the compromised account.
Log out of all devices.

If Your Device Has Been Compromised

Quit using it.
Either shut off your device or disconnect it from WiFi.
Reach out to a professional for help.

If You’re a Victim of Identity Theft

Apply a fraud alert to your credit reports.
Directly notify any institution that was affected.
Make sure to file a police report.

If Your Social Security Number Was Compromised

Call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213.
Call the Internal Revenue Service at (800) 829-0433.

Be on the Lookout for These Financial Scams

In October 2025, we published an article titled, 7 Financial Scams You Need to Be Aware of, that reviewed these following scams and how to protect yourself against them.

Holiday scams
Charity and disaster fraud
Elder fraud
Health care fraud
Ransomware
Tech support scams
Spoofing and phishing

There is obviously some overlap among those scams. For example, what if a 75-year-old individual receives an email from a scammer who is disguising themselves as a health insurance salesperson. The scammer says that the 75-year-old’s health insurance coverage will lapse if they don’t act immediately. That’s elder fraud, health care fraud, and phishing all wrapped up into one.

Key Financial Cybersecurity Statistics

Different forms of financial cybersecurity attacks continue to evolve. According to SentinelOne’s Key Cybersecurity Statistics for 2026, cybercrime is estimated to cost the world $23 trillion in 2027, which is up 175% from 2022.₅

Did You Know?

Here are a few more eye-popping statistics from SentinelOne that help explain why the financial cybersecurity tips we’ve shared are so important.

Between 2026 and 2031, an individual or company is projected to be compromised by a ransomware attack every two seconds. And it’s expected to become even more frequent after 2031.
Phishing is projected to impact 42% of global breaches in 2026.
Seven out of every 10 cloud breaches are expected to derive from compromised identities in 2026.
Routers are projected to be the primary point of attack for three-fourths of IoT-related cyberattacks in 2026.
Cyber attackers are expected to launch 44,000 Distributed Denial of Service attacks each day in 2026.

Protecting Your Hard-Earned Wealth

It’s important to us at Modern Wealth that the money you’ve worked so hard for helps you enjoy today with confidence for tomorrow as you navigate to and through retirement. Take some time to go through the six financial cybersecurity tips that we’ve shared so that your money doesn’t suddenly end up in the hands of a cybercriminal. We hope that this education on financial cybersecurity can help you feel more secure about your financial life.

If you have any questions about what we’ve covered and how to work toward your financial goals, start a conversation with our team below.

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Resources Mentioned in This Article

[1] https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/best-password-manager/

[2] https://www.experian.com/help/

[3] https://www.transunion.com/v/credit-help

[4] https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services

[5] https://www.sentinelone.com/cybersecurity-101/cybersecurity/cyber-security-statistics/

Investment advisory services offered through Modern Wealth Management, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

The views expressed represent the opinion of Modern Wealth Management a Registered Investment Adviser. Information provided is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Modern Wealth Management does not accept any liability for the use of the information discussed. Consult with a qualified financial, legal, or tax professional prior to taking any action.

This material is provided for general educational purposes only and is not a recommendation, offer, or individualized investment advice. Any examples or illustrations use simplified assumptions to explain a general concept and are not a projection of the performance of any specific investment, strategy, or account of Modern Wealth Management, LLC. Actual returns and outcomes will vary based on market conditions and individual circumstances, and investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.