A Ten-Point Security Audit You Can Finish in Twenty Minutes
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2026 7:35 pm
A Ten-Point Security Audit You Can Finish in Twenty Minutes
Scenario: you want a score for your account security. Give one point for each item that is true for you, and add them up.
One, unique password on your broker account. Two, unique password on your email, which controls resets. Three, two-factor authentication on the broker, using an app instead of text messages. Four, two-factor on your email. Five, a password manager or equivalent system. Six, no investor or trading password shared with anyone. Seven, device software and platform up to date. Eight, no use of public Wi-Fi for trading without protection. Nine, withdrawal alerts or confirmations enabled, with the contact details current. Ten, a tested recovery plan, including backup codes stored offline.
Interpret the score. Nine or ten: strong. Seven or eight: decent, with specific gaps to close this week. Five or six: exposed, and the email items deserve first priority since the email account is the master key. Four or less: high risk.
Weigh the items. Items two and four matter most. A compromised email gives an attacker the ability to reset the broker password, so protect it as the most valuable asset.
Cost: all ten take about an hour of setup, and the loss from a single compromised account can exceed any trading profit.
Repeat the audit every three months, and after any device change.
Exercise: score yourself honestly, and fix the lowest-scoring item today.
Scenario: you want a score for your account security. Give one point for each item that is true for you, and add them up.
One, unique password on your broker account. Two, unique password on your email, which controls resets. Three, two-factor authentication on the broker, using an app instead of text messages. Four, two-factor on your email. Five, a password manager or equivalent system. Six, no investor or trading password shared with anyone. Seven, device software and platform up to date. Eight, no use of public Wi-Fi for trading without protection. Nine, withdrawal alerts or confirmations enabled, with the contact details current. Ten, a tested recovery plan, including backup codes stored offline.
Interpret the score. Nine or ten: strong. Seven or eight: decent, with specific gaps to close this week. Five or six: exposed, and the email items deserve first priority since the email account is the master key. Four or less: high risk.
Weigh the items. Items two and four matter most. A compromised email gives an attacker the ability to reset the broker password, so protect it as the most valuable asset.
Cost: all ten take about an hour of setup, and the loss from a single compromised account can exceed any trading profit.
Repeat the audit every three months, and after any device change.
Exercise: score yourself honestly, and fix the lowest-scoring item today.