BANK tech-trends News
 

 September 15 - September 19, 2008

• Hardware News
• Software Updates
• ATMs/Kiosks
• Biometric Digest Highlights
• Wireless World
• Security Section
• Leaders Roundtable
• Technology and Marketing
• Online Banking/E-Commerce/
  Website Design
• Internet Access
• Call Centers

Hardware News

SEH announced the availability of two new device servers that manage users’ access to USB devices running on Windows networks. myUTN USB device servers provide direct, secure point-to-point connections over the network, protecting connected USB devices from any unauthorized access. SEH devices come with a comprehensive security package that includes password protection, access control, encryption, port access control, and the support of secure protocols like HTTPS and SNMPv3. myUTN devices connect disk drives, card readers, scanners, printers, etc, and require no special drivers - they appear to users as if they were locally connected. 

DIGITUS offers two IP models of cameras tuned to different security requirements. A simple model (DN-16050) for image surveillance during the day, or a higher end model with an additional built in microphone, external microphone output and an external audio output together with a day and night mode model (DN-16051). The cameras include a free Central Management System that can control up to 16 cameras at the same time, and permits the display, recording and playback of video in Internet Explorer. The IP Camera DN-16050 runs $155 and the DN-16051 is $233.

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ATMs/Kiosks

POSPaper.com offers a full line of POS Paper Rolls, Printer Ribbons, point-of-sale printers, thermal paper rolls, laser labels, barcode scanners, credit card sales slips, cash register ribbons, ATM paper and kiosk paper. The firm is starting to offer recycled and environmentally friendly paper rolls - they currently offer recycled bond and recycled 2-ply paper rolls as well as recycled inkjet printer rolls to its clientele, with an eye toward expanding its green line moving forward. 

Wincor Nixdorf appointed a new president for their America division: former JP Morgan Chase banker Patrick Wright. Wincor Nixdorf, recently recognized as now the world's second-biggest ATM supplier, plans to focus on marketing in order to increase their current 8 percent market share in the US.

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Fujitsu Computer Products of America announced the availability of the PalmSecure LOGONDIRECTOR, a new addition to identity management solutions that combines Fujitsu’s PalmSecure biometric authentication technology embedded into a PC mouse, and software that integrates with any vendor’s single sign-on (SSO) solution. By combining highly accurate, non-intrusive identification technology with SSO connectivity, Fujitsu says that the LOGONDIRECTOR eliminates the need to recustomer passwords, providing organizations with a strong user authentication solution.

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Around three quarters of US customers would now consider using mobile banking services if offered, up from 49% in 2006, according to research released by Fiserv. For those who have not yet adopted mobile banking, security continues to be a major concern, with 72% of survey respondents saying they worry about the security of accessing financial data using wireless devices. However 82% of consumers say they would sign up with their financial institution for mobile security text messages that would alert them of password changes and other access changes, while 79% would sign up for account balance alerts. Cost was the second-most cited concern (48%) about mobile banking services. Fiserv also announced the release of Mobile Money, a mobile banking and payments solution that supports consumers on all three mobile access modes - short messaging service, (SMS), wireless application protocol, (WAP), and downloaded mobile applications. Mobile Money is powered by technology from New Zealand-based Mobile Commerce Limited (M-Com).

Gift cards and loyalty cards are now going mobile thanks to a partnership between Mocapay and Smart Transaction Systems. The companies say that the technology will work with cards from gas stations, coffee shops, clothing retailers and other businesses, allowing people to leave cards out of their wallets and pay with their cell phones. They also claim that "this is the very first mobile gift card payment system in the U.S. - possibly in the world." 

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With a startling success rate, security researchers disguised as fire inspectors, exterminators or government safety monitors were able to slip past tellers in nearly 1,000 branches and pilfer confidential consumer data, laptops, backup tapes, and even servers, according to a TraceSecurity study. Between 2003 and 2008 TraceSecurity says it also accessed data by hacking financial institution networks through the Internet, phishing, pharming and pre-text calling. The security firm said the easiest disguise to pull off was the fire inspector, because with just a uniform and a badge, researchers were often given deep access to a facility even without an appointment beforehand. 

The nonprofit Center for Internet Security (CIS) has released a set of free metrics for measuring an organization’s security posture. CIS hopes the metrics will serve as a standard method for assessing security readiness. The first set of metrics that the CIS released for download were: mean time between security incidents; mean time to recover from security incidents; percentage of systems configured to approved standards; percentage of systems patched to policy; percentage of systems with anti-virus; percentage of business applications that had a risk assessment; percentage of business applications that had a penetration or vulnerability assessment; and percentage of application code that had a security assessment, threat model analysis, or code review prior to production deployment.

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Online Banking:

Online Banking... Catering to Your Most Desirable Customers

Digital Resolve - http://www.digital-resolve.net Read Dennis Maicon's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/DigitalResolve.pdf

Exstream - http://www.exstream.com   Read Jerry Driscoll's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Exstream.pdf

Microsoft - http://www.microsoft.com Read Marley Gray's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Microsoft.pdf

Open Solutions - http://www.opensolutions.com   Read Michael D. Nicastro's comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/OSI.pdf

Piraeus Bank - http://www.piraeusbank.gr   Read Sotiris Sirmakezis' comments: http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/Piraeus.pdf

uMonitor - http://www.umonitor.com   Read Dinesh Sheth's comments:   http://www.banktt.com/roundtable/uMonitor.pdf

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Micro-businesses as those with one to four employees, and they comprise two-thirds of the 27 million small businesses in the U.S. Experian notes that the average micro-business owner is 50 years of age and has an average income of $71,690. This makes this a valuable demographic to target, but Experian cautions that micro-businesses act more like consumers than businesses in terms of their behaviors and patterns. 

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Kobil Systems and IdenTrust are collaborating on an approach to identity authentication that they say thwarts man-in-the-browser and other fraudulent attacks. They claim that the joint solution allows financial institutions to improve and expand online bankers' trust with online banking applications. The zero footprint portable identity is stored within a secure USB token that not only represents a credential wallet, but also contains the entire application suite, including the web browser.

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Internet Access

Level 3 Communications announced that it has rebuilt its Enterprise data network architecture, re-launching an MPLS-based (multiprotocol label switching) wide area network platform that offers converged services. The new architecture enables delivery of Ethernet virtual private line (EVPL), virtual private LAN service (VPLS) and Internet protocol virtual private network (IPVPN) services across a single platform. Level 3 has upgraded features like increased interoperability, a streamlined operating environment and a unified portfolio that includes not only the integrated VPN services, but Enterprise Voice, Dedicated Internet Access, Ethernet Access capabilities and Managed Services. Level 3 has also improved online customer portal. Customers can now enter trouble tickets, check order status and view network reporting online.

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Call Centers

Monterey, CA-based Language Line wants to help financial institutions reach out to non-English speaking immigrants. The company has more than 2,600 specialized interpreters who speak more than 150 languages. Call center representatives can contact interpreters for customers who want to communicate in a language the representative does not understand. The sessions are conducted as three-way conference calls.

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