Managed IT & Cybersecurity for Financial Services Firms
FCA-regulated firms face unique cybersecurity obligations under PS21/3 and the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. AMVIA delivers compliance-aligned IT infrastructure designed for the financial sector.
Cybersecurity in UK Financial Services
Three in four UK financial services firms experienced at least one significant cyber incident in 2024.
Material IT incidents must be reported to the FCA within 72 hours of identification under PS21/3.
The FCA's record fine for cyber security failures highlights the regulatory stakes for FS firms.
FCA Operational Resilience Obligations
Under PS21/3 and the FCA's Operational Resilience policy, all regulated firms must identify their important business services, set impact tolerances, map the resources that support them, and — by March 2025 — demonstrate they can remain within tolerance during severe but plausible disruption scenarios. IT and cybersecurity are the primary levers for meeting these obligations. AMVIA helps FS firms document their resilience frameworks and implement the technical controls needed to satisfy FCA and PRA requirements.
IT Services Designed for Financial Services
Every element of our FS IT package is built around regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and the specific data sensitivity of financial information.
24/7 Security Operations Centre
Round-the-clock threat detection and response, with financial services-specific SIEM playbooks for rapid incident triage and FCA-ready incident documentation.
Privileged Access Management
Just-in-time privileged access with full audit trails for all admin activity across your trading systems, client portals, and cloud infrastructure.
Data Loss Prevention
Microsoft Purview DLP policies prevent inadvertent or malicious exfiltration of client data via email, USB, or cloud storage — with automated policy enforcement.
Immutable Audit Logging
Tamper-proof log retention meeting FCA SYSC requirements. 7-year log archives for emails and file activity, accessible for regulatory investigations.
Incident Response Planning
Documented and tested incident response procedures aligned to FCA notification requirements. We manage the technical response while you manage stakeholder communications.
Regulatory Compliance Reporting
Monthly compliance dashboards covering patch status, MFA adoption, backup success rates, and security posture scores — ready for board reporting.
FCA Cybersecurity Compliance Checklist
Key technical controls expected by the FCA under SYSC 13, PS21/3, and the FCA's cyber security guidance for small firms.
Business continuity plan tested annually
Including IT disaster recovery — failover scenarios tested, not just documented.
Critical system RTOs defined and met
Recovery time objectives for trading and client-facing systems documented and validated.
Third-party IT supplier risk assessed
All IT and cloud vendors in scope for TPCRM reviews, including due diligence and contractual controls.
Employee cyber awareness training current
At least annual training and phishing simulations for all staff with access to client data.
Penetration test completed within 12 months
By a CREST-accredited provider, covering both internal and external attack surfaces.
Cyber Essentials Plus certification held
Or equivalent higher-assurance certification — increasingly expected by institutional counterparties.
Frequently Asked Questions
FCA SYSC 13 requires regulated firms to manage operational risk — including IT and cybersecurity risk — as part of their systems and controls framework. This includes access controls, patch management, business continuity planning, third-party IT risk management, and staff training. The FCA expects proportionate controls based on the nature, scale, and complexity of a firm's business.
PS21/3 requires all FCA and PRA-regulated firms to identify their important business services, set impact tolerances for disruption, and by March 2025 demonstrate they can remain within those tolerances. IT and cybersecurity are central to meeting these obligations. Firms must map the IT infrastructure supporting each important business service and test that they can recover within their stated tolerance during simulated disruption scenarios.
Under PS21/3, firms must notify the FCA within 72 hours of identifying a material operational incident — one that causes significant impact on important business services. Firms should have a documented notification procedure identifying who makes the materiality assessment, who reports to the FCA, and what information must be provided. AMVIA supports firms in building these procedures and managing the technical response.
FCA firms must assess and manage the IT risks posed by their technology suppliers, including cloud providers, software vendors, and managed service providers. This includes due diligence on security controls, contractual data processing agreements, and annual supplier reviews. Under DORA, firms with EU operations face more prescriptive requirements around ICT third-party risk, including mandatory contract clauses and audit rights.
Cyber Essentials Plus provides independently-verified evidence of baseline security controls and is widely accepted as a minimum standard by the FCA, PI insurers, and institutional counterparties. Larger or higher-risk firms may be expected to hold ISO 27001 or conduct regular CREST-accredited penetration testing in addition to CE+. AMVIA guides firms through CE+ and can advise on when additional assurance is appropriate.
Book a Financial Services IT & Compliance Review
Our FS-specialist engineers will review your current IT controls against FCA SYSC and PS21/3 requirements — and tell you exactly where you stand.
Related Resources
The Complete UK Cybersecurity Guide
Foundational cybersecurity concepts and controls applicable to all UK businesses, including financial services.
Cyber Essentials Certification
How Cyber Essentials Plus satisfies FCA expectations and supports PS21/3 operational resilience compliance.
Microsoft 365 Security for Financial Services
Securing M365 environments for FCA-regulated firms with audit logging, DLP, and Conditional Access.
Cyber Essentials vs Cyber Essentials Plus
Which certification level does the FCA expect from regulated firms of different sizes?
How Much Does Managed Cybersecurity Cost?
Transparent cost guidance for FCA-regulated firms considering managed SOC and compliance services.