Trust is the foundation of financial advice. Clients share details that go far beyond numbers on a spreadsheet- family circumstances, personal goals, private financial histories. These deserve to be handled with care. Yet much of this information still moves by email, and that’ s where the cracks can appear.

Email is still the easiest way in for cyber criminals. A mistyped address, a forwarded attachment, or a hacked account can all expose sensitive data. For advisers, the fallout isn’ t just awkward conversations- it can mean regulatory scrutiny, financial penalties, and shaken client confidence.

Email is the number one target for cyber criminals worldwide.

The two essentials: Encryption and authentication

Two safeguards make the biggest difference:

• Encryption turns the message into unreadable code if it’ s intercepted.

• Authentication checks that the person opening it is really the intended recipient.

Without both, sending a valuation or policy document is like posting it without an envelope. Theoretically, anyone could pick it up.

“ Without encryption and authentication, sending client details by email is like dropping them through the letterbox without an envelope.”

46 | The Adviser