Is investing a game? In the latest podcast episode of Take the Long View, Matt Hall shares the classic fable of the man in the green bathrobe. Listen on Apple here or click below.

Even in the normally staid world of fiduciary investment advice, we have our stars – heroes who inspire us with the brave choices they make to better the lives of investors.

Vanguard founder John C. “Jack” Bogle, who passed away on January 16th at age 89, was among the brightest (and most stubborn) stars of them all. The world lost a giant that day, as evidenced by the instant outpouring of respects paid from around the world.

Bogle refuted the status quo and gave birth to the retail version of index investing in the 1970s. He was energized by the crusade until his dying day.  In the video homage below, The Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig observed, “[Bogle’s career] spanned over six decades of change and growth in the industry that he helped to transform.”

To pick a sample from the deluge of sentiments expressed in the media, we especially appreciated a New York Times piece by Ron Lieber and Tara Siegel Bernard, “The Things John Bogle Taught Us: Humility, Ethics and Simplicity.” Many of our other favorite financial voices of reason are represented here, including Behavior Gap’s Carl Richards, and Manisha Thakor, herself a worthy crusader for women and wealth.

We’d say RIP, but Jack Bogle didn’t want people to rest. He roots for us to fight for what’s right, even when it isn’t popular. He was a relentless agitator for good, and his spirit inspires us to keep pushing for better solutions for investors. Every single day.

I’m sure by now you have heard of Equifax’s recent data breach. When faced with situations like this, we like to think about our good friend Carl Richards’ sketch that encourages us to focus on what we can control. With this in mind, we point you toward resources that help protect your data in the post-Equifax-hack world. Also, we’ll share a little backstage information on our own cybersecurity efforts.

What To Do

While there isn’t a magic bullet, below are a few resources we’ve shared with our clients. These resources provide both checklist actions, as well as general information and important questions to consider.

• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) page is a good start and will likely be kept current over time.
• New York Times “Your Money” columnist Ron Lieber has been covering the beat extensively. Search on “Equifax” and you’ll find his ongoing advice and comments. We like one of his most recent updates from September 21.
• In “Our Thoughts on Security,” Wealthfront provided a helpful overview, including a “What You Can Do For You” list of actions to consider.

As time marches on, the steps you could or should take are likely to evolve. We are staying informed, so keep an eye out for updates in subsequent newsletters.

Here at HIG

While no system is impregnable, we have long been taking strong measures to protect against hackers and identity thieves.

This year, we participated in a 12-week Schwab Cybersecurity Engagement to assess our current readiness, identify room for improvement, and formalize our action plan. Since then, we’ve been upgrading our infrastructure, engaging in ongoing education, and continually implementing checks and updates.

As this wise educator observed in reflecting on the Equifax breach, “Security isn’t a product. It’s a process.” As cybersecurity requirements continuously evolve, so will we. We would be happy to talk with you directly if you would like to learn more about our cybersecurity procedures.