Cybersecurity in the Age of AI - How to Stay Ahead of Threat Actors

The July 2026 Financial Counseling Community Call with AFCPE and FPA will be held on Thursday, July 16th at 12 pm ET.

Guest speaker Michael Cocanower will be presenting, "Cybersecurity in the Age of AI - How to Stay Ahead of Threat Actors."

In 2026, we've entered into an environment that creates the 'perfect storm' for threat actors. They can now leverage AI to be more efficient and effective in launching their attacks. Ongoing global geopolitical issues are also in play. These things all lead to a significantly heightened level of activity which means you need to be more prepared now than ever to prevent you or your firm from being the next victim.

Join us for a chat with Michael Cocanower, CEO of itSynergy who knows how the bad guys operate as a Certified Ethical Hacker but also know the 'guard rails' financial professionals operate within due to regulatory oversight.

We'll cover the latest techniques and tactics being used by threat actors, including sharing actual samples of some of the most sophisticated attacks. We'll also cover the latest data from industry threat reports. Finally, and MOST importantly, we'll leave you with a checklist of the most important things for you to do TODAY to put yourself in the best possible position to avoid becoming a casualty.

Michael is the founder and CEO of itSynergy in Phoenix, Arizona. itSynergy focuses exclusively on providing strategic technology and cybersecurity guidance to small and midsized financial advisers. Michael is an Investment Adviser Certified Compliance Professional (IACCP®️), a Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH®️) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®️). This combination gives him unique expertise to help investment advisers navigate the complex and risky world of cybersecurity within the boundaries of compliance. Michael is a Phoenix native and has lived in Arizona his entire life. He graduated from Arizona State University with bachelor’s degrees in both Finance and Computer Information Systems.