Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
Item
1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.
Item
1C. Cybersecurity.
Overview
The
Sponsor, its parent Valkyrie Investments Inc., and their respective affiliates (collectively, “Valkyrie”) have adopted an
organizational wide cybersecurity program. The program is administered by the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) of Valkyrie
Funds, LLC, an affiliate of the Sponsor and wholly-owned subsidiary of Valkyrie Investments Inc. Valkyrie’s objective, in the development
and implementation of this comprehensive cybersecurity program, is to create effective administrative, technical, and physical safeguards
for the protection of personal information of the organization and its clients.
Program
Details
Valkyrie
has designated the CCO to implement and maintain the cybersecurity program. The CCO may delegate any of the CCO’s responsibilities
to appropriate designees as long as the CCO remains primarily responsible for compliance oversight and administration. The CCO will is
responsible for:
1. Initial
implementation of the cybersecurity program;
2. Ongoing
employee education;
3. Regular
testing of the cybersecurity program’s safeguards;
4. Evaluating
the ability of each of our third party service providers to implement and maintain appropriate
security measures for the personal information to which we have permitted them access, and
requiring such third party service providers by contract to implement and maintain appropriate
security measures.
5. Reviewing
the scope of the security measures in the cybersecurity program at least annually, or whenever
there is a material change in our business practices that may implicate the security or integrity
of records containing personal information.
Identification
of Risks and Cybersecurity Governance
To
combat internal risks to the security, confidentiality, and/or integrity of any electronic records containing personal information, and
evaluating and improving, where necessary, the effectiveness of the current safeguards for limiting such risks, Valkyrie has identified
the following risks that are present to its business as well as procedures to help mitigate those risks:
Internal
Threats
1. There
must be communication to employees on the detailed provisions of the cybersecurity program
at onboarding and annually.
2. Access
to records containing client’s personal information shall be limited to those persons
who are reasonably required to know such information.
3. All
security measures shall be reviewed at least annually, or whenever there is a material change
in our business practices that may reasonably implicate the security or integrity of records
containing personal information.
4. Terminated
employees must return all records containing personal information, in any form, that may
at the time of such termination be in the former employee’s possession.
5.
A
terminated employee’s physical and electronic access to personal information must be
immediately blocked. Such terminated employee shall be required to surrender all keys, IDs
or access codes or badges, business cards, and the like, that permit access to the firm’s
premises or information. Moreover, such terminated employee’s remote electronic access
to personal information must be disabled; his/her voicemail access, e-mail access, internet
access, and passwords must be invalidated.
6. Current
employees’ user ID’s and passwords must be managed in accordance to Valkyrie’s
password policy.
7. Employees
are encouraged to report any suspicious or unauthorized use of customer information.
8. Employees
are prohibited from keeping open files containing personal information on their computer
screen when they are not at their desks. Employees are responsible for locking computer screen
when away from workspace.
9. Employees
must not share login information with co-workers.
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External
Threats
1. Valkyrie
will maintain reasonably up-to-date firewall protection (if applicable) and operating system
security patches, reasonably designed to maintain the integrity of the personal information,
installed on systems processing personal information.
2. Valkyrie
will maintain reasonably up-to-date versions of system security agent software which must
include malware protection and reasonably up-to-date patches and virus definitions, installed
on systems processing personal information.
3. To
the extent technically feasible, personal information stored on portable devices, such as
laptops or tablets, must be password protected, as must all records and files transmitted
across public networks or wirelessly, to the extent technically feasible.
4. All
computer systems must be monitored for unauthorized use of or access to personal information.
Risks
Associated with Remote Client Access and Funds Transfer Requests
Currently,
Valkyrie does not provide its clients with online account access nor does process funds transfer requests. If the firm’s business
changes to allow for remote client access and funds transfer requests, Valkyrie will update the cybersecurity program accordingly by
identifying the potential risks involved and implementing the appropriate safeguards to protect the client’s personal information.
Risks
Associated with Vendors and Other Third Parties
Valkyrie
periodically conducts risk assessments with vendors and other third parties that have access to the Firm’s networks, customer data,
and other sensitive information.
Detection
of Unauthorized Activity
Employees
who believe their terminal or computer systems have been subjected to unauthorized activity, or has otherwise been improperly accessed
or used, are required to report the situation to the CCO immediately to determine the course of action.
Valkyrie
takes the issue of security seriously. Firm employees who use the technology and information resources of the firm must be aware that
they can be disciplined if they violate this policy. Upon violation of this policy, an employee may be subject to discipline up to and
including discharge. The specific discipline imposed will be determined by a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the nature
and severity of the violation of the cybersecurity program, prior violations of the policy committed by the individual, state and federal
laws and all other relevant information.
In
a case where the accused person is not a firm employee, the matter shall be submitted to the CCO. The CCO may refer the information to
law enforcement agencies and/or prosecutors for consideration as to whether criminal charges should be filed against the alleged violator(s).
Updates
to the Cybersecurity Program
The
CCO reviews the cybersecurity program on a periodic basis and updates the program based on changes in the firm’s business, effectiveness
of the safeguards, and any additional risk factors that become present. The CCO will inform management of the results of the reviews
and any recommendations for improved security arising out of the reviews.
Furthermore,
if an incident occurs that is determined to be in violation of the cybersecurity program, there shall be an immediate mandatory post-incident
review of events and actions taken, if any, with a view to determining whether any changes in our security practices are required to
improve the security of personal information for which the Firm is responsible.
Item
2. Properties.
Not
applicable.
Item
3. Legal Proceedings.
None.
23
Item
4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not
applicable.
24
PART
II
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.