Best of the Blog: 2015’s Most Popular Hedge IT Articles

Happy New Year! Here at Hedge IT, we’re looking forward to sharing more educational articles with you in 2016, but before we do, let’s take a look back at our readers’ favorite articles from last year.

Cybersecurity Regulations Take Center Stage

The Securities and Exchange Commission took major strides to regulate investment firm cybersecurity practices in 2015, with the release of multiple guidance updates (Click for the September 2015 update). At a high level, the SEC has identified the following six areas as paramount for investment firms to demonstrate preparedness:

1. Risk Assessments

2. Governance

3. Training

4. Access Control

5. Vendor Management 

6. Information Sharing

In December 2015, we participated in a Wells Fargo Prime Services cybersecurity event and the panelists outlined everything your hedge fund needs to know about the SEC’s security expectations. Read “SEC Cybersecurity Checklist: 6 Areas Your Hedge Fund Better Have Covered” for the full scoop.

As referenced above, training is critical to showcasing cyber preparedness in today’s world. Instances of social engineering are often what trip up employees – think phishing and spear-phishing schemes. Our July 2015 article, “Understanding Social Engineering: How to Avoid Phishing Attacks,” was popular among Hedge IT readers looking for guidance around how not to get hooked.
 
One final article related to security hones in on the fifth bullet above – vendor management. Anytime an investment firm works with a third-party provider, it’s important to understand what risks become present and how firms can manage said risks. In July 2015 we published “Five Steps to Effectively Managing Third-Party Service Provider Risk” to provide our readers with a step-by-step guide to managing their outsourced relationships.

Tips for Launching a Hedge Fund

New fund launches and emerging managers are always looking for tips to assist them in successfully creating their firms – and Hedge IT delivered in 2015. Our two-part Checklist for Launching a Hedge Fund in 2015 shared insights from both Eze Castle Integration and our partners at Marcum LLP on the legal, technology and cybersecurity priorities for new hedge fund startups. You can read the May 2015 articles here:

• Part 1: “A Checklist for Launching a Hedge Fund in 2015”

• Part 2: “Starting a Hedge Fund – Your IT and Cybersecurity Checklist”

Hedge Fund Insiders Series

We love delivering new educational content to our loyal Hedge IT readers, but we also like to share new voices and invite our partners and colleagues across the investment industry to share their expertise. Our August 2015 Hedge Fund Insiders Series featured fresh articles from contributors including Haynes and Boone LLP, Wells Fargo Prime Services, and Willis Group Holdings Ltd. and covered topics ranging from regulation to cyber insurance and prime broker relations to hedge fund marketing. You can easily access all of our Insiders Series articles in the aptly named “Hedge Fund Insiders” category on Hedge IT.

Social Media for Hedge Funds

We live in a world dominated by social media outlets, yet LinkedIn has emerged as the de facto professional site for industry networking and information sharing. Even hedge fund managers, traditionally very secretive, are joining LinkedIn, so we outlined a few tips to ensure LinkedIn activity is top notch. Our January 2015 article, “Hedge Funds: It’s Time to Get Bullish on Social Media, LinkedIn” is a great primer for users just starting their social media adventures.

We hope you enjoying looking back at some of our best blog posts from 2015. We’re excited to share many more with you in the year ahead!