# Sarbanes-Oxley Act

*Regulation & Compliance — Finicade finance glossary*

Sarbanes-Oxley followed Enron in 2002, making CEOs and CFOs personally certify financial statements and auditors attest to internal controls.

Sarbanes-Oxley followed Enron and WorldCom in 2002, making CEOs and CFOs personally certify financial statements and requiring auditors to attest to internal controls under Section 404. It created the PCAOB to oversee audit firms and restricted the consulting they can sell to audit clients. Compliance costs were and remain contested; personal certification changed executive behaviour permanently.

**Also known as:** SOX, Sarbanes Oxley, SOX 404

**Related terms:** [Internal Controls](https://finicade.com/glossary/internal-controls), [Audit](https://finicade.com/glossary/audit), [Independence](https://finicade.com/glossary/independence), [Whistleblower](https://finicade.com/glossary/whistleblower), [Financial Statements](https://finicade.com/glossary/financial-statements)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/sarbanes-oxley-act