Less Worrying. More Banking.™ Top Banking Technology, Security, and Compliance Concerns in 2020
The constant evolution of technology, the ever-changing compliance landscape, and increased security threats have fundamentally changed the way financial institutions operate today and the key concerns they are facing on a daily basis. In our 26 years of experience serving the community banking industry, we have not seen a more difficult landscape for our clients to navigate.
The risks associated with security, compliance and technology have never been more challenging than they are today. As the responsibilities of community financial institutions continue to grow and evolve, it is not uncommon to worry about limited resources, keeping up with new technologies, or simply maintaining a competitive advantage in the industry. We believe that all financial institutions, regardless of size and location, should be able to leverage the best technology solutions available so they can focus on serving the financial needs of their communities. It is our mission to provide peace of mind and value for our customers in these areas so banking professionals can get back to doing what they do best and spend less time worrying.
Through the years we have developed and offered compliance centric IT services designed exclusively for community banks and credit unions, ensuring that they are kept up to date on the current technologies, security risks, regulatory changes, and FFIEC guidelines. We strive to listen to our customers to ensure our solutions continue to support the changing needs of the industry and meet their expectations in addressing key concerns. We recently surveyed a group of our community bank and credit union customers to gain a better understanding of the top worries and concerns they have for 2020 as they relate to technology, compliance and security. Through that survey we uncovered the following:
Technology Challenges
Financial institutions of all sizes continue to depend on their IT network infrastructure and technology solutions for nearly all functions of the institution, which makes it crucial that all solutions work efficiently. While community banks and credit unions have been utilizing technology for quite some time now, they continue to face certain technology challenges heading into 2020. According to survey respondents, the expense of technology solutions, keeping up with rapid changes, and truly understanding the technology solutions are top concerns. In addition, many continue to struggle with network management and connectivity, patch management, and training employees on IT solutions.
Compliance
While banks and credit unions have adjusted to the frequent and strenuous regulatory reviews, they continue to struggle with meeting examiner expectations across critical areas such as vendor management, business continuity planning, and risk management and assessment. In addition, many struggle with adequately defining the requirements of the Information Security Officer (ISO), as this role has become more involved and the expertise needed has grown. The ISO has one of the most crucial roles in a financial institution. In fact, it is one of the few positions that are required by guidance. The FFIEC covers various issues related to information security in great detail, including the expectations and requirements for the ISO. According to the FFIEC IT Examination Handbook’s Information Security booklet, financial institutions should have at least one person who is dedicated to serving as an in-house ISO.
Security
Over the past several years, the industry has been impacted by a marked increase in data breaches, ransomware, card fraud and other malicious attacks. Additionally, an increase in devices connected to networks has made it critical for financial institutions to strengthen their security strategies and policies and ensure all systems are up to date and able to effectively combat today’s threats. Cybersecurity-related attacks on the financial sector continue to increase at an alarming rate, making cybersecurity a top area of concern for financial institutions. Additional areas of concern include ransomware, phishing, malware, disaster recovery, and network security.
Managing these challenges alone can be a daunting task to undertake. As a trusted resource for financial IT and regulatory support, Safe Systems is here to serve as a true extension of your team, providing you with access to technology professionals who are specifically trained in the banking industry. Safe Systems offers cost effective solutions such as IT support and managed services, internal network/cloud design and installation, hosted email, business continuity and disaster recovery, compliance consulting, security services, and IT and compliance training. Our services help financial institutions significantly decrease costs, increase performance, and improve compliance posture.
Let us help you get back to what you do best. Less worrying. More banking.™