The Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, more commonly known for its authors, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, includes provisions to protect consumers’ personal financial information held by financial institutions. The legislation is intended to ensure financial institutions protect sensitive customer information that may be accessible to hackers through web-enabled environments, including Internet connectivity and hosting arrangements.  The Safeguard Rule went into effect in 2003, requiring proactive steps to ensure free security of customer information.