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General
News
* USERS Experiences Record Growth in 2004
* iCIMS Signs NASA FCU
* Clarity Inks Deal with First Tech CU
* Benchmark Technology Group Partners w/ Absolute Data Security
USERS Incorporated, a unit of Fiserv, Inc., experienced record growth and expansion in 2004, with 16 credit unions signing contracts to utilize or convert to USERS' platform. The firm also delivered four major product introductions in 2004: Commercial Integrator, Loan Manager, ACH/Payroll Manager and Clustering.
New Jersey-based iCIMS announced that NASA FCU will implement their web-based Hiring Management Solution. iCIMS' iRecruiter Hiring Management Solution is currently in use by more than 200 organizations around the world.
Clarity Visual Systems said that First Tech Credit Union in Beaverton, OR will install their Bobcat and Margay digital displays. First Tech will use digital signage to present marketing messages to members, along with localized promotions and text-based news. Bobcat is a 40-inch direct view LCD, while Margay is a 50-inch rear-projection display.
Benchmark Technology Group, a leading provider of branch automation solutions for credit unions, announced a strategic alliance with Absolute Data Security, the US distributor of Blancco brand data erasure products, to offer Benchmark's customers data security and onsite disk erasure. The firms said that their alliance helps meet the credit union movement’s need for a complete data security plan and certified data erasure for discarded or repurposed computers.
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Hardware
News
Credit unions that use ink jet printers should get somewhat of a reprieve from the high price of inkjet cartridges as competition heats up. For example, Paper Mate recently announced that it plans to throw its hat into the inkjet printer cartridge market. They are offering an inkjet cartridge line that is compatible with a number of Hewlett-Packard, Epson and Canon printers. The cartridges retail from $6.50 to $30 each, as compared to cartridges from market leader HP that range from $17 to $35 each.
It is hard to imagine that you could buy a new laptop for under $500, but leave it to Wal-Mart to break this price barrier. Walmart.com and Linspire have unveiled a Linux-based laptop priced at $498. The computer, dubbed Balance, comes loaded with the Linspire operating system and the OpenOffice.org office suite. The companies said Balance is the lowest-priced laptop currently available with an operating system and an office suite. It features a VIA C3 1-GHz processor, 128MB RAM, a 30GB hard drive, a CD-ROM drive and a 14.1-inch liquid crystal display.
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Software
Updates
Anyplace Control Software has released Anyplace Control 2.6 remote control software. The Admin Module displays the screen of a remote computer and lets a user control the remote system through the mouse and keyboard on a local computer. The Host Module, which naturally must be installed on each computer you want to control, communicates with the Admin Module, transmits screen shots, and executes commands entered through the mouse and keyboard. The product costs $29.95 and includes two licenses.
If your credit union runs Microsoft Exchange Server for your e-mail, then you will want to take advantage of the Exchange features that Microsoft exposes to third party software developers. One of the most important options is effectively blocking unsolicited e-mail messages. Find out about some add-on options in the February issue of Credit Union
tech-talk - subscribe today.
Software Section Sponsored by
Raddon Financial Group (RFG) |
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ATMs/Kiosks
2004 was a good year for many ATM manufacturers, e.g., Diebold, NCR and Wincor Nixdorf all posted better-than-expected financial results and issued strong earnings estimates for 2005. Financial institutions did their part to help by upgrading and/or replacing ATMs to meet Triple DES requirements, a trend that should continue throughout 2005. According to ATM & Debit News, the number of ATMs deployed grew 3.2 percent, to 383,000 in 2004 from 371,000 in 2003. Look for ATMs manufactured by vendors serving the FI market go overwhelmingly with Windows as the default operating system in 2005, which should open up more opportunities for advanced functionality.
A toy ATM from a company called Youniverse was extremely popular this Christmas season. Toys R Us sold 10,000 in four days, while on QVC and the Home Shopping Network they sold out in three minutes. Children six and beyond can insert the supplied ATM card into the silver machine, punch in their PIN, be greeted by name on the electronic display, look into the pretend security camera and wait for the cash drawer to open. (Unlike in a real ATM, a cash drawer opens in the toy ATM instead of the money getting dispensed).
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Asa Hutchinson, the Department of Homeland Security's undersecretary for border and transportation security, says that "biometrics is at the forefront in our agenda for homeland security." He isn't exaggerating when you consider that the DHS has rolled out three major pilot programs that rely heavily on biometric technology. Paul Collier, executive director of the nonprofit Biometric Foundation, naturally concurs: "Biometrics really give you two things: One is security; the other is convenience. Biometrics are an essential tool in any personal authentication scenario."
South Florida’s largest credit union has opened a Boca Raton branch featuring biometric handprint scanning access to safe deposit boxes. North Carolina-based Homeland Security Biometrics expert Darrell Smith applauded the installation of new biometric services at Eastern Finance Florida Credit Union, while the credit union cited enhanced security as the reason for the move.
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Wireless
World
A New Zealand bank's online bankers will need to have their cell phone close at hand if they want to use the Internet to transfer more than $2500 into another account. After logging on to Internet banking, customers who want to remit more than $2500 to a third party account will receive an eight-digit text message to their cell phone, which they will need to enter online within three minutes to complete the transaction. The two factor authentication service, dubbed Netcode, was developed using technology from RSA Security. ASB and Bank Direct customers will pay 25 cents each time a code has to be sent to their cell phone.
Sprint and Sybase, along with its wholly owned subsidiary iAnywhere Solutions, have partnered to offer mobile solutions targeted at the financial services, insurance, healthcare, government and education segments. They are looking to expand upon their previously announced Sprint Mobile Loan Officer and Sprint Mobile Claims Adjustor applications. The companies say that their business customers can equip their mobile workers to take advantage of these productivity-enhancing solutions using select Palm OS or Windows Mobile Pocket PC devices certified to operate on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network, including the recently introduced Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device Treo 650 by palmOne and the Sprint PCS Vision Smart Device PPC-6601.
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Security
Section
IBM's internal security department maintains a dictionary that describes various "cyber villains" and other dangers in nontechnical terms. Here are some entries from Big Blue's "Version 1.0 Online Security Dictionary," an employee reference guide that's currently published only on IBM's intranet:
* Airsnarf (noun): A rogue wireless device added to a network that grabs usernames and passwords from people using public wireless hotspots.
* Backdoor (noun): A way to bypass authentication and obtain remote access to a computer.
* Bot (noun): A software program designed to act like a person and infiltrate computers. For example, a bot may be programmed to automatically delete e-mails containing certain words or to sweep up and collect certain information from a PC.
* Phreaking (verb): Cracking into the telephone network, which has now evolved to include cracking into cell phones and computer communications networks.
* Spit (noun): Unsolicited e-mail sent over an Internet telephone connection.
* Spim (noun): Unsolicited e-mail sent over an instant message connection.
* Spoofing (verb): Impersonating another host on a network; pretending to be a trusted host.
* Wabbit (noun): Any malware that repeatedly replicates itself on a local computer
* Fork ‘bomb’ (noun): A species of "wabbit" that performs a denial of service on a computer system by creating a large number of processes very quickly and overloading the computer.
Security Section Sponsored by
Polivec |
Security Policy and Compliance Management
Polivec offers a Security Policy Compliance Management Solution that aids credit unions in building and maintaining IT security policies quickly and translates those policies into implementation standards which can automatically monitor and audit your assets' technical controls against those standards.
When a violation against your policy occurs, Polivec automatically generates the procedures necessary to remediate those security policy breaches whenever and wherever they occur from a centralized console. In addition, Polivec includes comprehensive employee awareness and testing solutions to further enhance your security posture across your network. As a result, true process efficiency gains occur as the solution audits, monitors and enforces those policies comprehensively and consistently throughout your network.
For executive management, Polivec provides real-time reporting capabilities that indicate whether or not your network is in compliance with those regulations imposed by the
NCUA, FFIEC, GLBA, or Sarbanes-Oxley as well as 75 compliance reports providing Operational Risk Assessment and Trend Analysis. These reports will enable your department to provide documented proof to auditors and the Board of Directors that your network is in compliance with your credit union's security policies.
Contact us today at: 650-230-3481 or www.polivec.com
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Leaders
Roundtable
CU Security:
Beyond the Moat - Comprehensive Security Strategies
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Technology
and Marketing
SugarCRM Inc., a California-based Customer Relationship Manager vendor, is offering a pair of preconfigured, Linux-based appliances called Sugar Cubes. The 1005 costs $4,495 and can handle up to 100 users, and the 3005 starts at $7,995 and can support up to 400 people. If you get tired of paying the annual support fee of $239 per user for Sugar Sales Professional, you can simply stop - and keep your data, the application and, of course, the source code, which can be customized.
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Technology &
Marketing Section Sponsored by
aaBeck Technology Group
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Target members individually with timely, relevant offers that address their particular needs!
WebMRM automatically determines the best offers for each member of your credit union then delivers those offers when they do their online banking. Increase cross-sales, change behaviors, and strengthen the relationship for just pennies per member. Click on the banner above,
e-mail us, or call aaBeck Technology Group toll free at 888-512-1099 to learn more about WebMRM today.
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Online
Banking/E-Commerce/Website Design
Account to account (A2A) transfers have been available online for several years through credit unions, community banks, Internet banks and brokerage institutions. A2A transfers, also known as Inter-Institutional Transfers, are poised for takeoff, according to some industry analysts. Find out the latest A2A trends in the February issue of Credit Union
tech-talk - subscribe today.
A new service has been launched to enable consumers to track their credit scores. Equifax and Fair Isaac have partnered to launch "Score Watch," which continuously monitors subscribers' Equifax credit file for changes that can affect their FICO scores. Once a change is detected, Score Watch alerts subscribers via email or wireless text message, advising them to visit a secured website for a detailed explanation of the change in credit status. If the subscriber's credit score changes by a significant amount due to changes in their credit file, the Score Watch alert will also include their up-to-date score. Score Watch subscribers also can preset a target score and be notified when they reach it, a valuable service for consumers who are aiming to qualify for a mortgage, home equity, or auto loan at a lower interest rate. Score Watch is available for $7.95 per month or $79.95 for 12 months.
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Internet
Access
According to research firm Point-Topic, installed broadband lines have passed the 150 million mark. The US remains the world's leading broadband country with almost 32 million accounts, followed by China with 22 million. In terms of broadband penetration, South Korea remains the leader on almost 25 broadband lines per 100 people, with Hong Kong still in second place with 21 lines per 100 people.
Cisco just introduced an appliance that lets IT administrators better manage and protect data in their remote offices. The Cisco File Engine is an appliance the company acquired from Actona Technologies last August that enables file server consolidation, file sharing and data protection. Cisco says that their File Engine appliance could be located in each branch office and could replace traditional file and print servers and low-end network-attached storage devices. The appliance would stream files in real-time to another appliance located in the data center. When users save files, the files are cached on the File Engine and then transferred to data center storage where they can be backed up. It costs $12,000 for an appliance and licenses for as many as 50 branch-office users. Additional 50-user license packs are $4,500.
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Call
Centers
Apptera has added three new modules to its Financial Services Suite of packaged speech applications. The new apps automate a range of consumer service requests, including establishing new accounts, making credit card and loan payments, and receiving mortgage rate quotes:
- Apptera Account Enrollment leads callers through the process of applying for a loan or enrolling in a new account.
- Apptera Account Payment lets callers make recurring and one-time credit card and loan payments by phone.
- Apptera Mortgage Quote helps provides automated rate quotes around the clock without the need for mortgage specialists.
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Call Center Section
Sponsored by
Apropos
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"Best Practices In Call Center Communications - Optimizing the Interaction Lifecycle"
Most member service centers have phones on the desktop, probably the ability for people to leave voice mail, maybe an e-mail address. Many even have an ACD to manage simple call routing and an IVR to ask the caller which department is needed. Assuming there's a business application to track issues or orders or requests, that ought to be enough to run an effective operation. Or is it?
To learn more and receive your FREE COPY of our WHITE PAPER entitled "Best Practices In Call Center Communications - Optimizing the Interaction Lifecycle" visit us at
www.apropos.com.
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Conferences
Catch
Tom and Bill Rogers, Associate Editor of Credit Union
tech-talk at the following conferences in
2004:
May
11 -13, New Orleans, LA - Credit Union
InfoSecurity Conference
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