Started with online when it first became avlb. to rural America through Quick & Reilly and a few others. To my knowldge, there has never been a major hacking money loss affecting many account holders.
Account security had better be Job #1 for the whole online brokerage industry because imo they are one big well publicized broad based theft from the end of the good life they have enjoyed all these years since the internet started.
I now consider broker risk to exceed market risk exposure and I believe there are others out there that may well feel the same way. The reason why I feel this way is that I have non-brokerage related bank fiduciary accounts that have much more significant controls on them - especially as relates to wire withdrawal.
Maybe this is all pie in the sky fear. If anyone from the industry wants to come forward on this, please do.
Geo.