|
Credit Union tech-talk News
December 8 - December 12, 2008
General News
* Vysym Becomes a Symitar VIP Vendor
* Open Solutions Signs Osoyoos Credit Union
* Fidelity National Information Services Partners with Microsoft
* IMM Partners with Open Solutions’ IA Systems
Vysym Corporation announced that it had joined the Symitar Vendor Integration Program (VIP). Participation in the program enables Vysym’s solutions to integrate with Symitar’s core processing system, Episys. The Vendor Integration Program is designed to ensure that Symitar customers can easily deploy third-party products.
Osoyoos Credit Union recently selected The Complete Credit Union Solution: DNA (TCCUS: DNA), the latest version of the relational core data processing platform from Open Solutions, a leading provider of integrated enabling technologies for credit unions in the United States, Canada and other international markets. The credit union serves the close knit community of Osoyoos, British Columbia.
Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), a leader in processing and technology solutions for credit unions, and Microsoft announced an agreement to make up-to-date financial news from MSN Money available on client websites. Under terms of the agreement - the first of its kind between Microsoft and a financial services technology provider - client credit unions utilizing FIS' Web-hosting services will have an opportunity to subscribe to four MSN Money authors, providing the credit unions' members with current financial news, commentary and advice.
Integrated Media Management (IMM), a document output management and automation technology provider, announced its partnership with Open Solutions’ business unit, IA Systems. The companies have integrated IMM’s document preparation engine, TotaleAtlas, with IA Systems’ StreamLend Velocity loan origination system.
Hardware News
De La Rue, the world's largest commercial security printer and cash sorting company, unveiled its new DLR7000, high-speed banknote sorter. The unit features software enhancements, and improved note path and detection. The feeder has been designed to handle very poor quality notes and has a 4,000 note capacity, upgrading to 6,000 if necessary. The DLR7000 is also equipped with the option for biometric access control. This will replace password entry and work in conjunction with a smart card.
Adtran offers a line of Gigabit Ethernet switches with built-in cable diagnostics and reporting. They have several models, but one popular model is the NetVanta 1534. Not only does the NetVanta 1534 support wireline speeds for all connections in and out, it includes a cable diagnostics mode that identifies problem cables, tells you if the line is open or shorted and lists the distance away from the switch where the problem is.
Back to Top
Software Updates
Cryptzone has introduced Version 4.0 of their Windows software, which locks into the company's Simple Encryption Platform, and features numerous improvements, such as the ability for secured groups to work offline; synchronization of a single user among several laptops, desktops and Citrix log-ins; and better auditing and password recovery. There are also catch-up features such as Vista support, archiving for secured e-mails, and a secured recycle bin.
Netinfo brings together a collection of 15 common network tools that can help you analyze potential network issues or provide help in getting answers on where the trouble lies. Netinfo includes the following tools in one package:
* Local Info – get the systems IP & MAC address
* Connections - get local TCP/IP connections and their foreign connection IP address
* Ping - verify network connectivity to another IP address
* Trace – verify a list of routers between your system and the destination system
* Lookup - perform forward and reverse DNS lookup queries
* Finger - Displays information about users currently logged on to a specified server
* Daytime - get the local time of day for any remote host
* Time – get the time from a remote time server and synchronize with your system
* Quote - view quotations from a remote Quote server
* HTML – get the HTML header code and the page data for any Web page address
* Scanner - Scans for host names for a particular range of IP addresses
* Services - Lists the available network services (HTTP, Telnet, DNS, SMTP, and so on) for a particular host.
* E-mail - Allows you to verify any e-mail address
* Web Center - Displays available online tools, how-tos, tips, and news
Virtual appliances are completely prebuilt virtual machines that include everything needed to get a service up and running. We will cover them in the January issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe now.
|
Software Section Sponsored by
Raddon Financial Group (RFG)
|
Back to Top
ATMs/Kiosks
Select-A-Branch ATM Network is partnering with TRM Corp.’s Access To Money network. The agreement gives Select-A-Branch potential access to about 3,000 ATMs in convenience stores and other retail locations throughout the country. ATMs with SAB's technology have a generic screen, but when consumers of a client financial institution insert their ATM cards, the screen changes to display the logo of the user's FI.
Nashville-based ACE Machine has come out with a Diamond Virtual Technician that comes as an option with their Diamond Kiosks and Surround products. The Diamond Virtual Technician automates the process of switching the ATM enclosure's air conditioner off and turning the heater on. The firm says that the system reduces utility costs, cuts first- and second-line maintenance calls, eliminates human error as well as man hours, eliminates equipment damage and failure, and extends the life of ATMs, camera systems and alarms.
There is a new ATM appliance model for content management on ATMs and kiosks. Small ATM deployers can now buy one device and securely manage their campaigns. Get more details in the January issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe now.
Back to Top
Biometric Digest Highlights - WWW.BIODIGEST.COM
Dell Industry Solutions Group announced an alliance to work with Voice Transact, the global voice signature financial transaction processing network, to configure and distribute Voice Management Hubs to financial institutions deploying the Voice Transact biometric voice authentication solution. Voice Management Hubs enable multi-factor transaction approvals for payments and other financial transactions and can store millions of encrypted voice signatures locally. They are specifically designed to enable financial institutions to respond to increased industry and regulatory interest in the role of voice signatures.
Back to Top
Wireless World
According to a survey from Boston-based consultancy Aite Group, American small business owners are showing a growing interest in mobile banking, with around a third saying they are likely to use such services. 35% said they would check account balances via their mobile if the service was offered by their financial institution, while 25% said they would make intrabank fund transfers with their phone if it was available. A further quarter say they would make bill payments with their mobile device if they could.
What do consumers want from mobile banking? An Atlanta-based consultancy asked 1000 consumers who currently own a cell phone, smart phone and/or personal digital assistant, and we will summarize the results for you in the January issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe now.
Eugene, OR-based SELCO Community Credit Union has developed a scaled-down version of their website for mobile devices. The site allows members to find branch locations, hours of operation, contact information, ATM locations, and no-surcharge ATMs anywhere in the country.
Back to Top
Security Section
Trusteer is offering credit unions a free malware search tool that gives them visibility into attacks targeting their websites. The New York-based company says that their Trusteer Attack Trace search engine allows credit unions to input their Web address and see a list of malware configuration files that are designed to commit fraud against their brand. IT admins can view a cross section of malware that is specifically aimed at their site and what the code is written to accomplish.
The latest vulnerability patching statistics culled from 20,000 users of Secunia’s PSI (Personal Software Inspector) show that about 98% of all installed/detected applications are vulnerable to a known security flaw. Secunia defines an “insecure program” as a piece of software for which there is a newer version of the program available from the vendor that corrects one or more vulnerabilities, but the user have yet to install the secure version.
Federal agencies have arrested three members of an identity theft ring that stole more than $2.5 million by fraudulently accessing home equity lines of credit. How did they do it and why are HELOCs such a desirable target? We will answer these questions in the January issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe now.
Back to Top
Leaders Roundtable
Core Systems:
Core Systems – Collaborating to Better Serve Members
Back to Top
Technology and Marketing
Atlanta-based LEVEL5 is rolling out a new diagnostic tool for credit unions that compiles and analyzes market data. The program helps credit unions make strategic decisions about geographic expansion, and includes trend analysis and forecasting. The Financial Institution Tool creates a predictive assessment of market opportunities and identifies areas where business opportunities are rising, peaked, or declining.
Back to Top
Online Banking/E-Commerce/Website Design
Canadian security company Cryptocard is rolling out a combined payment card and one-time-password generator to secure online banking log-in and protect against card-not-present fraud. It is simi8lar to a combi-card authentication solution that Visa recently launched. The Visa PIN card was developed using technology from Australia-based Emue Technologies and features an alpha-numeric display and a 12-button keypad built into the back of a conventional credit, debit or prepaid card.
According to a recent report from Boston-based research firm Celent, credit unions are expected to lead the charge in remote deposit capture (RDC). They believe that credit unions will end up adopting the technology faster than banks because it offers them a way to collect deposits inexpensively, and that credit unions appear to be on a relatively fast pace to adopt through the first half of 2009. Credit unions pay a premium for deposits with Celent noting that their cost per deposit through branch offices is 75 cents; via foreign ATMs, $2.25; and a mail-in deposit costs them $1.75. Consumer capture, in which customers use PCs fitted with special banking software and linked to an ordinary household scanning device, promises to cut that cost significantly for credit unions.
Back to Top
Internet Access
Officials at 8x8, Inc. say they are cutting charges for their “Virtual Office Business Phone Service” by 50% for subscribers who enroll before year’s end. Normally a $49.99 per month service, the hosted IP-PBX service will cost $24.99 per month for those who sign up by Dec. 31. In an even less expensive alternative, 8x8 is offering a $250 per extension fee for an entire year of service for new subscribers. New customers must purchase their IP phones and agree to keep service for a minimum of one year in order to be eligible for the promotion. The company says that the system installs in minutes and comes with standard features like auto-attendants, unlimited conference calling, music on hold, ring groups, one number dialing and more.
CounterPath has added a new softphone for Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Exchange to its Bria softphone application. Bria is designed to make VoIP and video-over-IP calls easier by allowing users to see when contacts are available and send instant messages. The new “Bria Add-In” brings client capability for Microsoft Outlook without the need for Microsoft’s Office Communications Server (OCS).
BlueG has launched its new Visual Explorer browser as a free download. Visual Explorer is a full-featured Internet Explorer-friendly web browser that comes with advanced privacy and security features, one-click Google searches, support for Internet Explorer's browsing history and favorites, as well as an advanced download manager.
Back to Top
Call Centers
OrecX LLC, a leading provider of open source voice recording applications, announced two major innovations for its Oreka Total Recorder (TR) software product:
• Open Application Programming Interface (API) — The new Oreka TR API enables software companies to enhance their solutions and strengthen their customer base by integrating Oreka TR advanced functionality directly with their applications.
• Speech Analytics — This new capability allows customers to make Oreka TR speech analytics ready for most commercially available speech analytics engines, thereby increasing overall ability to process call data and uncover hidden value.
Oreka TR, a companion product for OrecX’s free Oreka GPL open source call recorder, organizes and catalogues phone calls over a standard SIP-based VoIP interface. Oreka TR allows users to store and retrieve calls according to timestamp, duration, direction, as well as by remote or local party, among other features. Access to recorded calls is made available via a standard browser.
Back to Top
Conferences
Catch Tom and Bill Rogers, Associate Editor of Credit Union tech-talk at the following conferences in 2008:
April 6-8, Park City - 2009 MVi Users Conference
June 4-5, Lake Las Vegas - Credit Union InfoSecurity Conference
Back to Top
|
