On November 20, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) dismissed its landmark enforcement action against SolarWinds Corp. and the company’s Chief Information Security Officer, Tim Brown. In 2023, the SEC’s enforcement action broke new ground as the first formal action by the Commission against a CISO and the first civil fraud action litigated by […]
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SEC Withdraws Proposed Cyber-Related Rule Applicable to Broker-Dealers And Signals SolarWinds Settlement on the Horizon
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced the withdrawal of several Biden-era regulations, including a proposed rule that would have required a broad range of platforms and financial intermediaries (such as broker-dealers, clearing agencies, national securities exchanges, and transfer agents) to adopt policies and procedures that address cybersecurity risks. The proposed rule also would […]
SEC Corporation Finance Provides Additional Guidance on the Disclosure of Material Cybersecurity Incidents in Form 8-K
On June 24, 2024, the Division of Corporation Finance (“Corp Fin”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued five new Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations (“C&DIs”) related to the disclosure of “material” cybersecurity incidents in Item 1.05 of Form 8-Ks. The C&DIs present hypothetical fact patterns related to ransomware attacks and insurance reimbursement for damages […]
SEC Settlement Suggests the Agency’s Attempt to Regulate Cybersecurity Controls
On June 18, 2024, the SEC announced a $2.125 million settlement with R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. (“RRD”) related to the company’s 2021 ransomware attack (the “Incident”). The settlement, and the SEC’s accompanying cease-and-desist order (the “Order”), portend the agency’s continued and increasing oversight over registrants’ cybersecurity policies and practices. Background RRD is a global […]
SEC Corporation Finance Director Clarifies that Form 8-K Item 1.05 Disclosures Should be Limited to “Material” Cybersecurity Incidents
On May 22, 2024, the Director of the Division of Corporation Finance (“Corp Fin”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued further guidance regarding disclosure of cybersecurity incidents on Form 8-K. The statement builds upon and provides additional clarity to companies seeking to comply with the SEC’s 2023 cybersecurity rules, which require public […]