FINRA & SEC-Aware IT for Financial Firms
RIAs, broker-dealers, wealth managers across the Carolinas.
Netsafe Solutions delivers FINRA, SEC, and SOC 2-aware IT for Charlotte financial services firms — RIAs, wealth managers, broker-dealers. 22-year Microsoft Partner, device-based pricing, 7-minute SOC response.
Netsafe Solutions provides IT services for Charlotte-area financial services firms — Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), wealth managers, broker-dealers, family offices, and financial planning practices — from our office at 8510 McAlpine Park Drive, Suite 203. We harden Microsoft 365 tenants for FINRA, SEC, and state financial regulator expectations, deliver dual-layer Black Point Cyber SOC monitoring (endpoints at 16-minute response, M365 tenant at 7-minute response), configure environments against the NIST Cybersecurity Framework that SEC and FINRA both reference, and provide documentation suitable for SEC exams and SOC 2 Type II vendor due diligence. Pricing is per-device monthly for support, with each security tool priced individually on a month-to-month basis -- tailored to what your business actually needs. No onboarding fee. Netsafe has supported financial services clients since our founding on November 21, 2003.
Why Financial Services IT Is Different
Financial services is the most cybersecurity-regulated vertical in the US outside healthcare. The regulatory stack includes SEC Rule 206(4)-7 (compliance programs for RIAs), SEC Rule 30 of Regulation S-P (Safeguards Rule), SEC Rule 17a-4 (broker-dealer records retention), FINRA Rule 4511 (books and records), FINRA Rule 3110 (supervision), and the SEC's 2024 amendments requiring 4-business-day cybersecurity incident disclosure by public companies. State regulators layer additional rules — the NY DFS 23 NYCRR 500 cybersecurity regulation sets the high-water mark that's spreading to other states.
The threat landscape: The SEC's 2023 Division of Examinations priorities flagged cybersecurity as a top-5 focus area. FINRA's 2024 Report on Examinations and Risk Monitoring identified cybersecurity as the #1 operational risk for broker-dealers. According to the FBI Internet Crime Report 2023, business email compromise (BEC) losses exceeded $2.9 billion, with financial services and wealth management among the top targeted sectors.
What examiners actually look for in an IT audit: 1. Documented Written Information Security Program (WISP) aligned to NIST CSF 2. Documented vendor risk management (including SOC 2 reports from IT providers) 3. Multi-factor authentication on all remote access and email 4. Data retention meeting SEC 17a-4 (broker-dealers) and Rule 204-2 (RIAs) requirements 5. Incident response plan with defined notification timelines 6. Ongoing cybersecurity training and phishing simulation results 7. Evidence of continuous monitoring — logs, SOC reports, Secure Score trending
Netsafe Solutions configures financial services environments to produce all seven on demand, because examiners don't give you time to build it during the exam.
What Netsafe Solutions Provides for Financial Services Firms
SEC / FINRA / State Regulator Alignment
Every financial services client environment is configured to map to the regulatory frameworks examiners use:
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 — the framework SEC Division of Examinations, FINRA, and state regulators explicitly reference. Netsafe configures controls across Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover.
- Written Information Security Program (WISP) — tailored to your firm's size and client count, updated annually, aligned to SEC Rule 30 Reg S-P requirements
- SEC Rule 17a-4 electronic records retention (broker-dealers) — M365 audit log retention, immutable backups, and WORM-capable storage for qualifying records
- SEC Rule 204-2 books and records (RIAs) — documented retention, retrieval, and destruction procedures
- FINRA Rule 3110 supervisory reviews — M365 Communications Compliance for supervisory review of electronic communications (available in E3/E5, or standalone licensing)
- NY DFS 23 NYCRR 500 readiness — even if you're not NY-regulated, examiners increasingly expect NY DFS-level controls
Privileged Communications & Email Security
Business email compromise is the #1 financial services attack vector. Every mailbox gets layered protection:
- Multi-factor authentication enforced via Entra ID, with Conditional Access policies blocking logins from untrusted geographies
- Checkpoint Harmony (formerly Avanan) — AI-based email threat protection catching wire fraud attempts, vendor invoice fraud, and executive impersonation that bypass Exchange Online Protection
- Wire fraud prevention protocols — DLP policies flag outbound emails with wire instructions, requiring second-factor confirmation before sending
- Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels — "Confidential — Client Info" applied to client-related correspondence, blocking external forwarding
- Black Point Cyber SOC on M365 tenant — 24/7 human SOC analysts monitoring for account takeovers, suspicious foreign logins, malicious OAuth grants, and email forwarding rule abuse (a common BEC pre-stage). Average response time: 7 minutes.
Books & Records Retention
Netsafe configures M365 retention to meet industry record-keeping rules:
- Microsoft Purview retention policies — aligned to SEC 17a-4 (6+ years for broker-dealers, 3 years immediately accessible), SEC 204-2 (5 years for RIAs, first 2 years in easily accessible format)
- Immutable backup via third-party M365 backup provider — meets the "non-erasable, non-rewritable" requirement of SEC 17a-4(f)
- Audit log retention extended to 10 years for regulated communications (Business Premium + add-on, or E5)
- Legal hold and preservation — one-click preservation of custodian data for examinations or litigation
- Destruction documentation — when records reach end-of-retention, documented destruction aligned to your firm's policy
Client Data Protection
Financial services firms hold among the most valuable data sets in the SMB world — SSNs, DOBs, account numbers, portfolios, financial goals. Netsafe protects it with:
- Microsoft Purview DLP policies — scan outbound email and shared documents for patterns matching account numbers (BIN/routing numbers), SSNs, and tax IDs; block or quarantine with user justification required
- Sensitivity labels on every client file — SharePoint and OneDrive content classified and access-controlled based on client segment
- External sharing governance — default-deny external sharing on SharePoint and OneDrive for client-related content; exceptions documented and time-limited
- Entra ID Privileged Identity Management — admin access is role-scoped, time-limited, and logged
Custodian & Trading Platform IT Infrastructure
Netsafe manages the IT infrastructure and security around the custodians, trading platforms, and business applications RIAs and broker-dealers use. We don't configure the platforms themselves — that's between your firm and the vendor — but we handle every IT-side requirement:
- Custodian platforms (Schwab Advisor Center, Fidelity Institutional, Pershing NetX360+) — SSO integration via Entra ID where the platform supports SAML, dedicated workstation configuration for critical trading users, secure credential management
- Portfolio management systems (Tamarac/Envestnet, Orion, Addepar) — SSO configuration, data flow security, workstation and network access
- CRM platforms (Salesforce Financial Services Cloud, Redtail CRM, Wealthbox) — SSO via Entra ID, sensitivity labels on synced data, access control policies
- Compliance tools (SmartRIA, ComplySci, MyComplianceOffice) — SSO configuration and M365 audit log integration where supported. Platform-specific configuration is coordinated with the vendor.
SEC Exam Support & Vendor Due Diligence
When an SEC or FINRA exam hits, the IT evidence has to be producible fast. Netsafe assembles:
- SOC 2 Type II reports from our tool vendors (Microsoft, SentinelOne, Black Point Cyber, NinjaOne, Checkpoint Harmony) annually for your exam file
- Quarterly Secure Score reports — trending over time, with documented remediation of findings
- Incident response plan documentation — tested annually, aligned to SEC disclosure timelines
- Vendor risk management documentation — Netsafe's own BAA/MSA, our sub-processor list, and our SOC 2 report
- Evidence of training — Phin phishing simulation results, security awareness training completion rates by user
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How We Price Financial Services IT
Most MSPs force their entire tool stack on every client regardless of need. Netsafe Solutions builds your stack around what your business actually requires — transparent, itemized, month-to-month on every tool.
Per-Device Support
Monthly per endpoint · Quoted- Unlimited remote helpdesk during business hours
- On-site support available (pre-approved T&M)
- 1-year service agreement — standard MSP practice
Microsoft 365 Licensing
Monthly per mailbox · MSRP rates- Business Basic — $7.20/user/mo
- Business Standard — $15.00/user/mo
- Business Premium — $26.40/user/mo
- Enterprise (E3/E5) — quoted per tenant
- Licensing sourced through Pax8
Security & Management Tools
Each priced individually · Month-to-month · No forced bundles- NinjaOne RMM — monitoring, patch management, remote management, vulnerability scanning
- SentinelOne EDR — AI-powered endpoint detection and response
- Black Point Cyber SOC — 24/7 human-led endpoint + M365 tenant monitoring
- DefensX — DNS filtering and web protection
- Checkpoint Harmony — advanced email security (anti-phishing, anti-BEC)
All M365 pricing reflects current month-to-month Microsoft MSRP. Tool pricing is quoted per customer based on environment size and needs. No onboarding fee — migrations and security hardening are included in the first month’s management fee. Contact us for a custom quote →
Why Charlotte Financial Services Firms Choose Netsafe
Frequently Asked Questions
What framework does Netsafe use for financial services cybersecurity?
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 — the framework SEC Division of Examinations and FINRA explicitly reference. We map every control in a client environment to a CSF category so the documentation is defensible in an exam. For firms required to demonstrate NY DFS 23 NYCRR 500 compliance, we layer those specific controls on top.
Does Microsoft 365 meet SEC Rule 17a-4 record retention requirements?
Microsoft 365 can be configured to meet 17a-4 requirements with specific settings: Purview retention policies set to "Preserve items for the entire retention period" with destruction after end-of-retention, immutable M365 backup from a third-party provider (Microsoft's in-tenant retention alone doesn't meet 17a-4(f) non-rewritable requirements), and audit log retention aligned to your retention period. Netsafe configures all three as standard for broker-dealer clients.
What does Netsafe provide when we get an SEC exam notice?
Exam support package, assembled within 48 hours of notice: - WISP current version - NIST CSF control mapping - Secure Score reports for the requested periods - Audit log exports for specified custodians/periods - Vendor SOC 2 report package - Phin training completion records - Incident response plan + any incident records - Retention policy configuration documentation - User access review history (if requested) We don't replace your compliance officer or chief compliance officer — we provide the IT evidence they need to respond to examiner document requests.
Can Netsafe support Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing integrations?
We manage the IT infrastructure and security around custodian platform access. For cloud-based platforms that support SAML SSO (Schwab Advisor Center, Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services, Pershing NetX360+), we configure SSO via Entra ID with Conditional Access and MFA requirements. For desktop-installed trading applications, we deploy via Intune and configure appropriate workstation access controls. Platform-specific configuration — custodian account setup, trading workflows, portfolio data feed configuration — is coordinated with the custodian's technical support team.
How does Netsafe handle business email compromise (BEC)?
Multi-layered defense: 1. Entra ID Conditional Access blocks logins from untrusted geographies (most BEC logins come from high-risk countries) 2. Checkpoint Harmony catches BEC-pattern emails (unusual sender, unusual content, urgency, wire instructions) before delivery 3. Purview DLP policies flag outbound emails containing wire instructions and require second-factor confirmation 4. Black Point Cyber SOC M365 monitoring detects account takeover signals — new forwarding rules, mass deletion, suspicious OAuth grants — and responds within 7 minutes including disabling the account 5. Phin phishing simulation trains users on the specific patterns attackers use against financial services (invoice redirect, vendor impersonation, executive wire request)
Can personal mobile devices access firm M365?
Yes, via Microsoft Intune app protection policies on BYOD. Policies enforce PIN/biometric lock on Outlook, Teams, and M365 apps; block copy/paste of firm data to personal apps; require device encryption and jailbreak detection; allow Netsafe to selectively wipe only the M365 apps (not the personal phone) on employee exit. This satisfies SEC/FINRA mobile device control expectations without requiring the firm to provide phones.
What's your incident response timeline for financial services clients?
- Detection to containment: Under 15 minutes (Black Point Cyber SOC monitors 24/7; analysts can disable accounts, isolate devices, revoke tokens immediately) - Client notification: Within 1 hour of confirmed incident, per your documented IR plan - Forensics report: Within 24-72 hours depending on incident complexity - SEC 4-business-day disclosure support: For firms subject to the 2024 SEC cybersecurity disclosure amendments, we help assemble the materiality assessment and Form 8-K Item 1.05 content within the disclosure window
Do you work with broker-dealers, RIAs, or both?
Both. The control framework overlaps substantially (NIST CSF, M365 hardening, SOC, training), but the specific regulatory references differ — SEC Rule 17a-4 and FINRA 4511 for broker-dealers; SEC Rule 204-2 and Rule 206(4)-7 for RIAs. We configure the environment to the rules your firm is actually subject to, not a generic "financial services" template. ---
Let’s Talk About Your Financial Services IT
Tell us about your environment and what you’re dealing with. We’ll get back within one business day with a straight assessment and a quote. No pressure, no sales pitch.
Or call us directly
(704) 333-0404
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Areas We Serve
Netsafe Solutions provides IT services for financial services across 27 cities in North Carolina and South Carolina.
North Carolina: Charlotte, Concord, Huntersville, Matthews, Cornelius, Waxhaw, Gastonia, Kannapolis, Monroe, Mooresville, Salisbury, Statesville, Hickory, Newton, Shelby, Albemarle, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Lexington
South Carolina: Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Columbia, Spartanburg, Lancaster, Chester, York, Gaffney
Netsafe Solutions — IT services for financial services in Charlotte since 2003.
8510 McAlpine Park Drive, Suite 203, Charlotte, NC 28211 | (704) 333-0404
Last Updated: April 2026