Will You Survive the FTC Safeguards Rule?

Surviving The FTC Safeguards Rule:

A CPA’s Guide To Compliance, Preventing Fines, And Protecting Your Firm

If your firm handles sensitive client information, the FTC Safeguards Rule is no longer something you can ignore. In Surviving the FTC Safeguards Rule, author Charles Henson (owner of NCI) walks accounting professionals through what this regulation really means in everyday practice and how to prepare your firm before regulators—or cybercriminals—come knocking.

Rather than focusing on technical jargon, the book explains how today’s threat landscape has shifted. Traditional ransomware is no longer the only danger; attackers increasingly target the underlying data itself, knowing that stolen financial and personal records can be sold, reused, and weaponized long after an initial breach. Henson helps readers understand why their data is so valuable, what criminals do with it, and how that reality changes the way firms must think about security and risk.

You’ll find practical guidance for building a security program that aligns with the Safeguards Rule, including policies, technical controls, and staff awareness steps that reduce both regulatory exposure and business disruption. The goal is not just to “check the box,” but to create a culture where protecting client information is part of how your firm operates every day.

The book draws on Charles’ real-world experience as an IT and cybersecurity provider serving the accounting profession. His perspective combines regulatory understanding with frontline knowledge of how firms actually work, making this book especially useful for partners, firm administrators, and anyone responsible for client data and compliance.