Your source for the latest technology information of interest to community banks across America.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and stay on top of the latest technology trends in Hardware, Software, ATMs, Biometrics, Wireless, Online Banking, Marketing, Security, Internet Access and Call Centers.
The Check is NOT in the mail: Easy to use, cost effective payment collection tools that reduce delinquencies & offer customers multiple payment options
How many times have you heard delinquent customers say, "THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL!"? If you are interested in learning how they were able to solve this time and money consuming issue you need to attend this informative webinar.
What You Will Learn:
• How any computer with Internet access can be used to accept payments by phone
• Emailing payment receipts to comply with NACHA rules
• Easy reporting tools to reconcile payments
• Charging convenience fees: Are you eligible?
• Easy website and IVR payments for 24/7 payment collection
Who Should Attend: Any community bank looking to reduce delinquent payments.
Date: Schedule a 30-minute live demonstration at your convenience!
To Register: http://www.banktt.com/webinars.htm
IBM announced the sixth generation of its enterprise X-Architecture for System x and PureSystems servers. The IBM System x3850 X6 four-socket server features the new IBM X6 architecture, Intel Xeon Processor E7 v2 families, and industry-first DIMM-based eXFlash memory-channel storage, allowing applications to perform 100 percent faster, according to Big Blue.
The Dell PowerEdge R920 is the computer giant's highest performing server. The 4-socket, 4U PowerEdge R920, built on Intel’s new E7 processors, is designed to handle demanding, mission critical workloads. The machine features 6 TB of memory and up to 24 local storage drives, as well as low latency PCIe Express Flash drives and the new H730P PowerEdge RAID controller (PERC) that doubles the previous cache size and delivers up to 100% more IOPS performance.
|
Hardware Section Sponsored by
MVi |
Software Updates
Microsoft recently launched Power BI which is a tool that utilizes the familiar interface of Excel. Power BI enables users to search data within their own network, or access data from public sources. Users can query in plain English and easily convert the results into interactive charts or maps to put it into context that can help guide business decisions. Power BI is available as a standalone product for $40 per user per month.
According to new research from Secunia, the number of vulnerabilities found in Microsoft's Windows 7 and XP operating systems doubled last year over 2012, with the highest number of flaws reported in Windows 8. While Windows 8 had the most vulnerabilities, at 156, Secunia said that was due to the integration of Adobe System's Flash Player into the Internet Explorer browser, which accounted for 55 of those problems. Meanwhile, third party programs, which are made by a variety of vendors, contained about 76 percent of the vulnerabilities in the top 50 programs in 2013.
|
Software Section Sponsored by
Raddon Financial Group (RFG) |
Windows CE-based ATMs have been around for years in both indoor and outdoor locations. These inexpensive ATMs require far fewer service calls than traditional banking ATMs - by some accounts, most average only two services calls annually for the repair or replacement of a component. Most Windows CE ATMs do not accept check or cash envelope deposits, and they are not candidates for check imaging or deposit automation. Yet some institutions get around this issue by placing these low cost machines next to a night deposit box so that accountholders who need to make deposits are accommodated.
Triton Systems is partnering with Digital Donations to implement software that helps nonprofits connect with ATM users looking to make donations to charity. Digital Donations is working with the American Heart Association for the first test of the technology on Triton ATMs, and Genmega is expected to join the program shortly.
|
ATMs/Kiosks Sponsored by
Heritage Industries |
Tyfone announced the launch of the Fluide Mobile banking platform which they say helps banks deliver secure and branded mobile apps in a cost effective and rapid manner. The platform can be leveraged for adding enhanced services, such as Remote Check Deposit, Mobile Marketing and Messaging, P2P Payments, and Mobile Payments at the point-of-sale (EMV).
MasterCard and Syniverse have joined forces to deliver an opt-in service that will enable card transactions for users only when they have their mobile device switched on in a specific geolocation abroad. This service aims to reduce consumers’ frustrations associated with having their payment cards used without their knowledge or having their own transactions unnecessarily declined when trying to make purchases in another country. banks will also have an additional tool that will help them make more effective decisions when approving or declining a transaction on behalf of their customers.
Royal Bank of Canada says that they are the first Canadian financial institution to offer augmented reality (AR) in their mobile banking app. AR provides a live view of a physical environment the elements of which are augmented by computer-generated input such as sound, video or GPS data. The app uses the mobile device's location, camera and compass to provide a live, real-time streetscape showing the nearest branch or ATM depending on which way the user is facing.
At the recent RSA Security Conference, a panel of security experts agreed that security concerns should not deter organizations from using public cloud technologies when it makes business sense. Despite all the fears about cloud security, they note that there have been very few instances where enterprise data was compromised because it was moved to the cloud. In fact, a vast majority of enterprise breaches involving cloud providers stemmed from enterprise failures and not cloud provider faults.
In a white paper titled “The Convergence of IT and Physical Access Control,” HID Global is making the case that a new security environment is emerging in which users will have a seamless experience when using cloud-based applications and services, accessing data, and opening doors. They are convinced that future access control technologies will simplify and improve how we create, manage and use identities across many different applications on both smart cards and smartphones. It will also enable improved efficiency through the centralization of credential management for multiple logical and physical access control identities across IT resources and facilities.
SecureScan is a new free, cloud-based vulnerability management service for up to 100 Internet Protocol (IP) addresses on internal networks. Tripwire says that this new tool makes vulnerability management easily accessible to small and medium-sized organizations that may not have the resources for enterprise-grade security technology. Their vulnerability management solution requires no hardware or software to be installed and managed.
Security:
Addressing the Big 3: Compliance, Fraud & Cyber Security
 |
|
Cyveillance - http://www.cyveillance.com
Read Eric Olson's comments: http://www.banktt.com/Cyveillance.pdf |
 |
 |
|
DirectRM - http://www.directrm.com
Read Donald E. Malloy's comments: http://www.banktt.com/DirectRM.pdf |
 |
|
Easy Solutions - http://www.easysol.net
Read Daniel Ingevaldson's comments: http://www.banktt.com/EasySolutions.pdf |
 |
 |
|
Horsetail Technologies - http://www.horsetailtech.com
Read Mark Berman's comments: http://www.banktt.com/Horsetail.pdf |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
SilverSky - http://www.silversky.com
Read Andrew Jaquith's comments: http://www.banktt.com/SilverSky.pdf |
 |
|
TrustCC - http://www.trustcc.com
Read Andy Robbins' & Brandon Henry's comments: http://www.banktt.com/TrustCC.pdf |
 |
 |
|
Wombat Security Technologies - http://www.wombatsecurity.com
Read Joe Ferrara's comments: http://www.banktt.com/Wombat.pdf |
Many email marketing experts agree that there are words that you should avoid in an effort to help ensure inbox delivery. Everyone agrees to have someone carefully proofread your emails and always avoid texting abbreviations and all caps. Here are some words to avoid in your subject lines:
- Free
- Affordable
- Apply Now
- Mortgage Rates
- Opportunity
- Save
Online Banking/E-Commerce/Website Design
Many observers contend that EMV-based credit and debit cards can be effective against fraud even without the use of a PIN thanks to their embedded chip technology. Some even go so far as to claim that EMV smartcard technology will all but eliminate counterfeit fraud when it is deployed in the U.S. Others believe that requiring a PIN for all payments would add significantly to the expense, complexity, and time involved in transitioning from magnetic stripe technology to EMV. A Visa spokesperson recently said that the gradual elimination of the utilization of static data such as PINs as transaction authentication is a priority of the card giant.
Many prepaid cards impose purchase, monthly maintenance, per-transaction, out-of-network ATM, and live customer service fees which are why the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is closely looking at regulating prepaid card disclosures. The Pew Charitable Trusts has developed a disclosure form, similar to what is currently used in credit card offers, for prepaid cards (and checking accounts). Pew's research shows that inconsistent disclosures make it difficult to understand the fees associated with each prepaid card.
A Ponemon Institute survey discovered that poorly managed Secure Shell (SSH) keys pose serious risks for most companies. SSH keys allow administrators to remotely login to and operate a system via a secure encrypted tunnel, and are also used to authenticate machines running automated processes and services and to protect data in transit. The Ponemon Institute recommends that organizations figure out where SSH is in use, how many keys are in use, and put in place a process for automatically changing keys.
WatchGuard Technologies announced the WatchGuard Firebox T10 Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution, a network security appliance that allows organizations to extend powerful network security to teleworkers and small branch offices. The Firebox T10 features WatchGuard's cloud-based RapidDeploy capability, which self-configures and begins reporting back to the administrator's central console by simply plugging in the appliance. Pricing starts at $395 and includes one full year of UTM protection.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 87% of U.S. adults use the Internet. As the 25th anniversary of the World Wide Web approaches this March 12th, 90% of those surveyed say the Internet has been good for them, and 76% say it has been good for society.
Hiring and training the right social media agent can be a difficult task. They need good listening skills, quick response times and great writing skills. Twitter with its 140 character limit especially demands concise writing abilities. Talented social agents write like journalists - brief and to the point. They also use contractions, substitute characters (% for percent), and omit extra words. They also know when to move a conversation to a different channel and bring in assistance from other experts in the bank.
