Additionally, we could incur significant costs associated with the recovery from a cyberattack, and these costs may exceed, or the events to which they relate, may be excluded from, coverage under, our cyber insurance.
If customer information is inappropriately accessed and used by a third party or an employee for illegal purposes, such as identity theft, we may be responsible to the affected applicant or borrower for any losses he or she may have incurred as a result of misappropriation. In such an instance, we may be liable to a governmental authority for fines or penalties, or subject to litigation, associated with a lapse in the integrity and security of our customers' information. Additionally, if we are the target of a successful cyber-attack, we may experience reputational harm that could impact our standing with our customers and adversely impact our financial results.
We regularly update our existing information technology systems and install new technologies when deemed necessary and regularly provide employee awareness training around phishing, malware, and other cyber risks and physical security to address the risk of cyber-attacks and other security breaches. However, such preventative measures may not be sufficient to prevent, detect or deflect future cyber-attacks or a breach of information, including customer information. Additionally, most of our employees have worked remotely since March of 2020 and some portion of our work force will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. While we have designed our controls and processes to operate in a remote working environment, there is a heightened risk such controls and processes may not detect or prevent unauthorized access to our information systems.
Risks Related to Our Acquisition of Zelman
As a registered broker-dealer, Zelman is subject to extensive regulation that exposes us to a variety of risks associated with the securities industry, for which we have not been previously exposed.
Broker-dealer and other financial services firms are subject to extensive regulatory requirements under federal and state laws and regulations and self-regulatory organization (“SRO”) rules. Zelman is registered with the SEC as a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act and in the states in which Zelman conducts securities business and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and other SROs. Zelman is subject to regulation, examination and disciplinary action by the SEC, FINRA and state securities regulators, as well as other governmental authorities and SROs with which Zelman is registered or licensed or of which Zelman is a member.
The regulations applicable to broker-dealers depend in part on the nature of the business conducted by the broker-dealer, and generally cover all aspects of the securities business, including, among other things, sales practices, fee arrangements, disclosures to clients, capital adequacy, use and safekeeping of clients’ funds and securities, recordkeeping and reporting and the qualification and conduct of officers, employees and independent contractors. As part of this regulatory scheme, broker-dealers are subject to regular and special examinations by the SEC and FINRA intended to determine their compliance with securities laws, regulations and rules. Following an examination’s conclusion, a broker-dealer may receive a deficiency letter identifying potential compliance or supervisory weaknesses or rule violations which the firm must address.
The SEC, FINRA and other governmental authorities and SROs may bring enforcement proceedings against firms and place other limitations on firms subject to their jurisdiction, as well as their officers, directors, employees and independent contractors, whether arising out of an examination or otherwise, for violations of the securities laws, regulations and rules. Sanctions can include cease-and-desist orders, censures, fines, civil monetary penalties and disgorgement, limitations on a firm’s business activities, suspension, revocation of FINRA membership or expulsion of the firm from the securities industry. Criminal actions are referred to the appropriate criminal law enforcement agency. Similarly, the attorneys general of each state could bring legal action to ensure compliance with state securities laws, and regulatory agencies in foreign countries have similar authority. Any such proceeding against Zelman, or any of its associated persons, could harm our reputation, cause us to lose clients or fail to gain new clients and have a material adverse effect on our business.
Additionally, our acquisition of Zelman may invite increased scrutiny from the SEC, FINRA and other governmental authorities into the other financial services which we provide, particularly our debt brokerage and property sales services. While we believe that we are in compliance with all relevant securities laws, regulations and rules, these regulatory organizations may choose to investigate our business practices outside of those of our broker-dealer subsidiary. Such investigations, whether or not they result in enforcement proceedings or criminal actions, could harm our reputation, cause us to lose clients or fail to gain new clients and materially and adversely affect us.
Financial services firms are also subject to rules and regulations relating to the prevention and detection of money laundering. The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (the “PATRIOT Act”) mandates that financial institutions, including broker-dealers and investment advisers, establish