A Simple Cyber Guide for Financial Firms: What to Do and Why It Matters

10 December 2025

Financial organisations are attractive targets. Criminals know you hold valuable data, money moves quickly and downtime is costly. The good news is that you don’t need to be technical to play a key role in protecting your firm. Most improvements start with simple, repeatable habits and good oversight.

This guide breaks everything down in plain language so you can take action right away.

1. Start with the basics that matter most

Keep accounts protected

Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) for email, trading systems and anything that holds client or financial information. If you’re not sure whether MFA is active, ask your IT provider to check. This one change blocks most attacks that start with stolen passwords.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) gives clear, non-technical advice on strong passwords and account protection:https://www.ncsc.gov.uk

Know who has access

Keep a simple list of who has access to what. Update it whenever someone joins, changes role or leaves. Access left open “just in case” is one of the easiest ways attackers get in.

Keep devices updated

Laptops, phones and servers all need regular updates. Ask your MSP or IT team to confirm that all company devices update automatically. This is one of the simplest protections available.

2. Make sure you can recover quickly

Backups should be automatic and tested

Backups only help if they’ve been tested. Ask for:

• A daily backup

• A monthly test restore

• A clear estimate of how long a full recovery would take

This isn’t technical. You just need to see proof that it works.

The NCSC has a short guide on good backup habits:https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/top-tips-for-staying-secure-online/back-up-your-data

3. Prepare for the “what if”

You don’t need a thick incident manual. You just need a simple plan that covers:

• Who to call if something goes wrong

• What systems should be turned off first

• Who speaks to clients and regulators

• What needs to be restored first

Think of it like a fire drill. It’s about knowing the basics and practising occasionally.

If an incident involves personal data, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) explains when and how to report it:https://ico.org.uk

4. Keep an eye on the things that catch problems early

Ask your IT provider for a short, plain-English report every week or month. It should cover:

• Any suspicious activity

• Any updates that failed

• Any staff accounts missing MFA

• Any devices not checking in

• Any suppliers with issues

If anything sounds too technical, ask for it in simpler terms. Maple will always explain things in a way you can actually use.

5. Help your people avoid common traps

Most attacks start with a human mistake. A few simple habits help:

• Don’t trust unexpected attachments

• Double-check bank details by phone before sending money

• Don’t enter a password after clicking a link

• Report anything odd right away

The Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign has excellent, very simple guidance:https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk

If you ever need to report fraud or cyber crime, the UK’s national centre Action Fraud gives step-by-step guidance:https://www.actionfraud.police.uk

6. Review your critical suppliers

You don’t need to dive into technical evidence. Just ask your key suppliers:

• How quickly would you tell us if something went wrong?

• Do you back up our data?

• How quickly can you restore service?

• Do you meet any recognised security standards?

If they hold or process personal data for you, the ICO website above makes it clear what they should be doing to keep it secure.

7. Consider Cyber Essentials as a baseline

Cyber Essentials is a simple UK government-backed scheme that shows your firm has the basics in place. It’s widely recognised across financial services and often requested by clients.

You can explore it here:
https://www.cyberessentials.ncsc.gov.uk

We can help you complete it, but even browsing the checklist is useful for understanding what “good basics” look like.

8. Practical tips Maple often gives clients

These small habits make a big difference:

• Ask for a short monthly security summary in plain English

• Get proof that backups were tested

• Review staff access every quarter

• Practise incident response twice a year

• Keep a printed emergency contact list

• Make MFA non-negotiable

These don’t require any technical know-how. They just require consistency.

Final thought

Cyber resilience isn’t about becoming an expert. It’s about making sure the essential things are done well, checked often and understood by the people making decisions. With a few clear routines and a supportive MSP, you can significantly reduce your risk without needing technical training.