Cloud Application Security
Cloud apps hardened beyond vendor defaults — because Microsoft ships capability, not security.
Assessment, hardening, access control, change tracking, centralized logging, continuous monitoring, and incident response — applied to M365 and every cloud application that touches firm data.
400+
financial services environments
7
security areas per cloud app
30+
years serving financial services
The Problem
Your cloud apps are almost certainly not as secure as you think.
Dangerous Defaults
Audit logging off or limited. MFA risk-based, not always-on. Endpoint features require activation. DLP not configured. Enterprise app consent allows users to grant third-party apps persistent access without admin approval.
Pace of Change
Microsoft changes settings and features constantly without retroactively fixing old configurations. A tenant configured six months ago may already be missing critical controls. Small IT teams cannot keep up.
Single-Basket Risk
Using M365 for all security layers puts all eggs in one basket. If the incident is M365 itself — a compromised global admin — you cannot use M365 tools to investigate or respond.
Beyond M365
Cloud app security extends to Google Workspace, AI platforms, CRM systems, portfolio management, and any app handling sensitive data. Almost none of them get the same security treatment as M365.
What FCI Delivers
Seven security areas — applied to every cloud application, enforced continuously.
FCI treats cloud app security as a discipline with seven distinct areas. Each addresses a different failure mode — and each produces evidence that the control is in place.
01 — Assessment
Automated settings assessment to discover what is configured, what is missing, and what has drifted. Benchmarked against 400+ financial services environments.
02 — Hardening
Targeted configuration to financial services security standards — not vendor defaults, not generic best practices. Every change documented.
03 — Access Control
Trusted devices, always-on MFA, known networks, federation, and separation of privilege. Admin users get two accounts — user and admin never share credentials.
04 — Change Control
Track when settings change, who changed them, and whether it was authorized. Detect drift from intentional configuration vs. unauthorized modification.
Monitoring & Response
Visibility, detection, and the ability to act when it matters.
05 — Centralized Logging
All cloud app logs centralized with extended retention beyond native limits. AI-powered anomaly detection surfaces what matters.
06 — Continuous Monitoring
Indicators of compromise: email rule manipulation, unauthorized app consent, login anomalies, token theft, and settings drift — all surfaced in real time.
07 — Incident Response
As a Microsoft partner, FCI can regain access even if a global admin is compromised. Independent systems across independent layers ensure response is always possible.
Email Rule Manipulation
Enterprise App Consent
Login Anomalies
Token Theft
Settings Drift
AI Security
Implementation of AI tools can put your entire firm at risk.
AI is not a separate problem — it is a cloud app security problem. An AI agent can process data at the speed of hundreds of thousands of humans. Without data tagging and access controls, a single user with broad permissions can expose an entire organization in seconds.
Acceptable Use AI Policy
Clear policies for employees and affiliates on how AI tools may be used with firm data. Regulators are already asking.
Vendor Risk Management
Due diligence on every AI vendor. Who processes the data? Where is it stored? Can the model be trained on your client data?
Data Classification
Identify what is NPI so AI systems know what they can and cannot consume. Without classification, there is no enforcement.
How FCI Is Different
Same cloud apps, different security outcomes — four reasons why.
Expert Mastery
400+ M365 environments. FCI knows which settings matter, which defaults are dangerous, and sees the impact of platform changes across hundreds of tenants before your IT team reads the announcement.
Automated Procedures
Templates replace manual configuration. Settings enforced continuously — not configured once and hoped for. Drift corrects without a ticket.
Consistent Controls
The same seven-area framework applied to every cloud app — M365, CRM, portfolio systems, AI tools. No gaps, no exceptions.
Persistent Proof
Settings verified continuously. Changes tracked. Logs retained beyond native limits. Evidence produced every day — not just on audit day.
Interconnection
Cloud app security is the junction where all other domains converge.
A hardened cloud application is only as secure as the users, devices, and networks that access it. Cloud app security is where gaps in any other domain become visible.
The Principle
No single domain failure defeats the system — every layer reinforces every other layer
Endpoint Security
Restrict cloud app access to trusted, hardened endpoints via Conditional Access
User Security
Every login depends on MFA, federation, and trusted device verification
Network Security
Lock cloud apps to known IPs — bad actors cannot reach the login page
Data Security
Cloud DLP and access controls prevent exfiltration from within applications
Firm Security
Cloud app evidence flows to the FCI Portal for real-time visibility
What You Can Prove
Evidence that builds itself — every day, not just on audit day.
Settings Verified
Proof every cloud app is assessed, hardened, and maintaining expected configuration
Access Enforced
MFA, trusted devices, known networks — with no exceptions and no risk-based opt-outs
Changes Tracked
Complete audit trail of who changed what, when, and whether it was authorized
Logs Retained
Centralized logging with extended retention beyond native platform limits
Threats Detected
Continuous monitoring with documented investigation and response
FCI Portal
Current posture, historical posture, point-in-time audit at any date
FINRA
SEC
NAIC
State Regulators
Cyber Insurance
Home Office
Ready to see what your cloud apps look like when someone actually checks?
FCI works with broker-dealers and branch offices, insurance carriers and agencies, and RIAs. Start with a cloud security assessment — it reveals what your current provider hasn't told you.
Phone
973-227-8878
Web
fcicyber.com