As an advisor, you collect and store clients’ sensitive personal information. Protecting this information is essential. In July 2023, the Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organization (CISRO) released a guide on Cybersecurity Readiness. It includes tips on keeping this sensitive client data and your business systems safe.  Please read the guide in full. Also, check your own practices to be cyber ready and reduce your risk of an incident.  Some key tips in the guide include: 1. Make cybersecurity a priority: Stay alert to cyber threats. These can be suspicious emails, texts or calls. Make sure your team knows how to keep your data and systems safe and has clear, documented processes to follow. 2. Know what to protect: Understand what data and business systems need to be protected.  3. Identify the risks: Spot the risks in your practice and those from third-party service providers. 4. Implement security measures: Take steps to protect your data and business systems. 5. Be ready to respond: Know how to spot and react to cyber incidents. The guide has useful tips on creating a Cyber Incident Response Plan. And lastly – if you receive client instructions electronically (by email, text, or messaging apps), always confirm these over the phone to ensure it’s really the client sending the instructions. Keep your business and important client data safe by staying informed and alert. We encourage you to read the full  Cybersecurity Readiness document to learn more about how to prepare for cyber threats. In our industry, protecting clients’ sensitive data and systems is essential. Thank you for your commitment to cybersecurity! ® or TM denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.