financial services

Bolted Down Tight

Five steps for sustaining rigorous network security against constant cyberattacks Hackers are using sophisticated, automated tools to cast a wider net than ever before. Even small and medium-size community banks need to continually review their security procedures. This is especially true this year, with major breaches showing that nobody is safe. Here are five best

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New Cyberattacks Aim for ATM Management Systems

It’s called ATM cash-out fraud, and it’s a new data security threat where physical attacks and cyberattacks converge. Earlier this year, federal regulators warned financial institutions against criminal attacks on their ATM systems. But instead of breaking into the physical machines directly, some criminals are now aiming at the bank systems that control the machines.

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Back to Basics: IT security routines that won’t break the budget

Just because your community bank isn’t one of the giants of the financial industry doesn’t mean it’s off the target list of today’s proliferating cybercriminals. But that doesn’t mean that community banks with limited resources have to go out and start spending large sums of money on IT and data security, experts agree. “Focus on

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Multifactor Momentum

Multifactor authentication, the process of using more than one method or system to confirm the identities of consumers online, has been around for years. But recent regulatory guidelines, increasing criminal activity, lower costs and growing consumer acceptance have combined to bring the technology into the process for community banks more than ever before. “The fact

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Ukraine Turmoil Wreaks Havoc on Treasury and Finance Groups

Treasury and finance executives whose companies do business in Russia, the Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics are already seeing the effects of the mounting crisis on their bottom lines. The turmoil has caused the ruble’s exchange rate to plummet, making it more expensive for companies to import goods into Russia and to service existing

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Sphere of Influence

Treasury and finance executives whose companies  do business in Russia, the Ukraine, and other  former Soviet republics are already seeing the  effects of the Crimean crisis on their bottom lines. The turmoil has caused the ruble’s exchange rate to  plummet, making it more expensive for companies to  import goods into Russia and to service existing

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Get Proactive: Finance professionals are putting  big data tools to use to drive revenue

Finance professionals are putting  big data tools to use to drive revenue Online job search site TheLadders matches senior-level professionals with high-paying jobs, and the company is investing in data analytics to make those matches more accurate for users. But the company’s financial department will benefit from the new focus on analytics as well. “Normally,

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Bitcoin of the Realm: Overstock.com Accepts Virtual Currency

Overstock.com, the second-largest online retailer in the U.S., has begun accepting Bitcoin as payment for all purchases. “Bitcoin’s first full day on @overstock.com was a huge success: 840 orders, $130,000 in sales. Almost all new customers,” tweeted Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne. Along the way, Overstock sidestepped the challenges surrounding Bitcoin acceptance, including price volatility, lack

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Beginning of the End

Merchants are starting to accept Bitcoin–overcoming challenges and earning new customers in the process In 2013, Bitcoin was primarily known for its use in nefarious activities, such as money laundering, drug dealing and hiring assassins. In addition to not wanting to be associated with this kind of behavior, legitimate companies avoided the cryptocurrency because of

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Bitcoin gains legitimacy with US government, companies

Bitcoin, a virtual currency, was recognized by the US Department of Justice as a “legal means of exchange” last week, and the number of companies accepting it in payment continues to grow. The most recent additions to the Bitcoin club include Virgin Galactic and Europe’s  University of Nicosia. A number of smaller companies also  accept

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