Forest AI: Protecting Data, Powering Trust

Cybersecurity and AI are rapidly becoming two of the most important topics facing family offices and financial firms today.

In Forest's latest webinar, Forest AI: Protecting Data, Powering Trust, the conversation focused on how organizations can embrace the power of AI while protecting sensitive financial data in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Hosted by Dylan McArthur and featuring Jean Pierre LeJacq, the session explored the realities of modern cyber threats, the risks associated with AI adoption, and the security-first principles guiding the development of Forest AI.

Watch the Webinar Recording

Missed the live session? Watch the full webinar recording here.

Cybersecurity Threats Are Escalating

The webinar opened with a discussion around the current cybersecurity landscape and why financial firms are increasingly being targeted.

JP highlighted recent FBI cybercrime statistics showing more than $20 billion in reported cybercrime losses last year alone, with financial services among the most heavily attacked sectors.

The discussion covered:

• Ransomware attacks
• Email compromise and phishing
• Credential theft
• Network intrusions
• AI-assisted cyberattacks

One key takeaway: the attacks making headlines are often only a small fraction of what is actually happening behind the scenes.

How AI Is Changing Cybersecurity

One of the most compelling parts of the webinar focused on how attackers are now using AI to scale and automate threats.

The session explored how AI can:

• Scan networks for vulnerabilities
• Automate attack attempts
• Accelerate phishing campaigns
• Help bad actors identify weak points faster than ever before

JP also explained why organizations need to think carefully about how AI systems interact with sensitive data, especially when AI agents are given access to documents, spreadsheets, cloud storage, or external internet sources.

The Risks Most Organizations Are Overlooking

A major focus of the webinar was the growing concern around “prompt injection” attacks — a relatively new AI-related threat that many organizations are still unfamiliar with.

Using practical examples, the session demonstrated how malicious instructions hidden inside external content can potentially manipulate AI systems behind the scenes without users realizing it.

The webinar broke down:

• How prompt injection works
• Why AI agents can struggle to distinguish commands from data
• The risks of giving AI tools broad access to sensitive information
• Why AI deployment requires intentional safeguards and oversight

For many attendees, this was one of the most eye-opening sections of the discussion.

Forest's Security-First Approach

The webinar also provided an inside look at how Forest Systems approaches AI development and platform security.

JP outlined several core principles that guide Forest's architecture, including:

• Centralized data management
• Controlled API-based access
• Fine-grained permission controls
• Comprehensive audit trails
• SOC 2 aligned security practices

The discussion emphasized that security is not a single feature — it is an ongoing operational discipline that must be built into every layer of the platform.

Practical Security Recommendations for Family Offices

Beyond theory, the webinar also delivered practical guidance firms can implement today.

Some of the recommendations included:

• Enabling multi-factor authentication everywhere
• Keeping systems and software updated
• Using encrypted and offline backups
• Limiting unnecessary user access
• Separating personal and business devices
• Understanding where sensitive data is stored
• Vetting IT and cybersecurity providers carefully

The webinar repeatedly stressed that organizations should strengthen foundational cybersecurity practices before broadly deploying AI tools.

Why This Conversation Matters

AI is creating enormous opportunities across accounting, reporting, and financial operations. But as the webinar made clear, successful adoption depends on balancing innovation with security, governance, and trust.

Forest's approach is centered around helping firms take advantage of AI responsibly — with controls and protections designed specifically for sensitive financial environments.

If you are evaluating AI for your organization, thinking about cybersecurity strategy, or simply trying to understand how these technologies are reshaping the financial industry, this webinar is worth watching.

Watch the Full Recording

Watch the complete webinar recording here.

To learn more about Forest AI and the Forest platform, visit Forest Systems.