Category: Feature
Raytheon Global Study: Data Breach is Inevitable
A new global cybersecurity study commissioned by Raytheon, in partnership with Ponemon Institute, reveals a majority of senior-level IT professionals fully expect their organization will experience a catastrophic data breach that could greatly impact shareholder value. The 2018 Global Megatrends in Cybersecurity survey of 1,100 senior-level IT and IT security global practitioners also shows that despite growing threats, IT professionals believe cybersecurity is still not considered a strategic priority among senior leadership. “Our hope is that CISOs and senior leaders can use this report as a tool to start a deep dialogue about the critical need for cybersecurity within their organizations,” said Raytheon Chairman and CEO Thomas A. Kennedy, “Every day the cyber threat is growing more sophisticated and aggressive, posing a real threat to global businesses across all sectors. To reduce risks, leaders must urgently work with their IT teams to identify potential vulnerabilities, develop an action plan and make the investments needed to protect the value of their organization.” The study looks at how cyber trends have evolved since Raytheon first sponsored the research in 2015. It also asks security professionals in the U.S., Europe, Middle East and North Africa to identify future trends Global Study Cybersecurity professionals believe a catastrophic data breach to their organization is inevitable over the next three years. Key findings include: 82% of respondents predict their workplace will suffer a catastrophic data breach in the next three years as a result of unsecured IoT devices. 66% say such an attack would seriously diminish shareholder value. 67% believe cyber extortion such as ransomware and data breaches will increase in frequency and payout. 60% predict nation-state attacks against government and commercial organizations will worsen and could potentially lead to a cyber war. 46% believe their cybersecurity strategy will improve, down from 59% in 2015. ● 60% expect their companies will have to spend more to achieve regulatory compliance and respond to lawsuits and litigation. Despite growing concerns about sophisticated and persistent cyber threats, only 36% of respondents believe senior leadership consider cybersecurity a strategic priority. Senior leadership are also seen as seemingly disengaged in the oversight of their organization’s cybersecurity strategy with 68% of CISO/ IT executives surveyed saying their Boards are not being briefed on measures taken to prevent or mitigate the consequences of a cyberattack. “Conversations around cybersecurity resiliency are happening among our nation’s top intelligence chiefs, yet business leaders still have not made cybersecurity a business priority,” said Dr. Larry Ponemon, Chairman and Founder of Ponemon Institute, “This important research reveals an urgent need for executives to appropriately address cyber threats against their organizations.” Raytheon Company is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 96 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. The Ponemon Institute is dedicated to advancing responsible information and privacy management practices in business and government. To achieve this objective, the Institute conducts independent research, educates leaders from the private and public sectors, and verifies the privacy and data protection practices of organizations in a variety of industries.
The Value of Surge Protection for Surveillance System in Multiple Sectors
At first glance, warehouses, sports stadiums, datacenters, convenience stores and healthcare facilities may not have much in common. Yet, they all house expensive equipment including security equipment, that is at risk due to power surges that can damage, degrade or destroy that equipment, and result in downtime and financial losses. While insurance may cover the cost of repairing material damage to a security system, the downtime is often not covered by insurance and can quickly surpass the cost of surge protection devices or the cost of the damaged equipment. The protection provided by a surge protector on a security system and its devices is essential to protect and to lengthen the life of a physical security system. Surge protection needs to be an integral element of the planning and design of a security system and not just an afterthought. It’s also key to choose the right surge protection that will not only deliver the right level of electrical absorption to handle regular spikes and surges, but will also work for specific situations and sector requirements. Warehouses Many businesses that need to keep a large array of merchandise on hand maintain and operate immense warehouses with significant infrastructure requirements. For many warehouses, refrigeration is an essential function to keep produce and other fragile products fresh. With advanced refrigeration technology these devices now have a great deal of complex operability – some can maintain temperature to a tenth of a degree, allowing storage of much more delicate products, and many are now networked to enable remote management and monitoring. While this new functionality brings convenience and efficiency to users, it also increases the possibility of a surge event that can damage large amounts of merchandise. Surge events have historically damaged any device connected to the electrical grid, but the relative isolation of refrigeration equipment on the network has protected it from surges affecting other parts of a warehouse. As the use of network-enabled refrigeration equipment grows, so does the likelihood of surge damage being transferred from other devices to this essential infrastructure. Surge damage to refrigeration equipment can take a number of different forms. Although the refrigeration capability may still be present, remote control of the device or internal temperature monitoring may no longer be functional, resulting in damage to refrigerated merchandise as temperatures fluctuate without operator knowledge. In the event of a more powerful surge, the entire device could be badly damaged or even destroyed entirely, necessitating its replacement and possibly the replacement of all of the goods it contained. Power surges can come from within a facility as well as from outside through a lightning strike, so it is essential to protect each individual device, especially connected devices such as smart refrigeration. Electrical equipment can generate power surges that then transfer to other devices on the same network, which causes damage similar to a surge caused by a lightning strike or other external electrical fluctuation. Surge protection should be installed at the refrigeration equipment itself as well as at any cables that run between the inside and outside of a facility. To protect temperature-sensitive goods and equipment, it is essential to keep refrigeration equipment functional. Installing surge protection throughout a warehouse and on refrigeration equipment can help you prevent a costly meltdown. Sports stadiums Sports stadiums and other event venues are complex facilities, featuring a myriad of systems that all must work in tandem during concerts, sporting events, conventions and large-scale public gatherings. A stadium needs lighting systems, security, POS, ticket collection, video displays and many other systems to function optimally and continually. A power surge that damages electronic systems is dangerous for these systems, causing downtime or even destruction of equipment. Should one of these systems go down, issues are created beyond the loss of the system functionality. A POS system not functioning during an event means that sales cannot go through, resulting in financial losses from concessions and merchandise. Should ticket collection mechanisms not properly function, tickets could be counted inaccurately, resulting in unauthorized persons sneaking into an event or authorized persons not being granted access. A very public display of stadiums systems suddenly becoming nonfunctional took place at the 2013 Super Bowl in the New Orleans Superdome, when a partial power outage stopped the lighting from functioning during the nighttime game, stopping play for 34 minutes. A newly installed relay tripped, resulting in the power outage, during which only emergency lighting functioned. The incident showed the stadium’s inability to cope and the city’s inability to plan. As stadiums may host a variety of different events, there are diverse risks with systems not operating. A stadium hosting a hockey game needs to keep the ice constantly cooled, while a concert requires electronic microphones and amps to broadcast the artist’s music, as well as plotting complex lighting and pyrotechnics that could become dangerous if improperly set off. And with any system downtime, security is at risk. Without security cameras to monitor situations, security officers cannot properly respond to incidents, and it is much easier for unauthorized persons to enter sensitive areas or bring restricted items into the stadium. The correct surge protection is essential to prevent damaging surges from creating security events in a stadium environment. Most surges in a stadium environment are internally generated, caused by the large electronics needed to properly run such a large venue, including HVAC and power generators. These large surges can then be distributed to smaller devices such as cameras and POS. In determining the precise surge protection to protect stadium systems, it’s essential to consider each system individually as well as the stadium as a whole. Ensuring that there is surge protection on individual electronics and larger machinery can help protect smaller devices from larger surges. In a stadium or event venue, many systems of electronics come together to create a singular experience for attendees, and protecting the systems in the event of a surge requires implementing the correct surge protection products. Data centers With the advent of cloud technology, data…
Mass-Notification System Market by IHS Markit
I n the Americas, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes are occurring more frequently, so unimpeded mass communication during these events is critical. MNS software is often employed so companies can communicate with their employees, federal agencies, university students and the general public. More channels of communication available in these types of events, means more people can reach safety faster and more lives can be saved. In Western Europe, the second-largest market for MNS software, weather-related incidents occur less often, How Catastrophic Events are Changing Mass-Notification System Market By Robert Brooks – Analyst, Security and Building Technologies, IHS Markit cooperation with the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Vienna and private sector partners NEC Corporation and Cyber Defense Institute. “NEC has contributed as a strategic partner to INTERPOL’s commitment to improve the cybersecurity skills of investigators throughout the world. For the third year, NEC is honored to have helped develop the Digital Security Challenge by providing our expertise at this cutting-edge event,” said Kozo Matsuo, Vice President of NEC Corporation’s Cyber Security Strategy Division. Training sessions to develop participants’ practical knowledge on IoT device analysis and the latest trends in malware-related crime were delivered by specialists from NEC Corporation, InfoSec, Meiya Pico, SECOM, Kaspersky Lab and Trendso the need for MNS software is lower than in the Americas. While individual countries might deal with specific weather threats – like blizzards and freezes in Sweden and flooding in the UK – in 2017 the United States alone experienced four major hurricanes. Mass-notification system (MNS) software used in emergency communication, the primary segment used during a catastrophic event, is expected to grow in the Americas at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8 percent from 2017 to 2021, reaching $293.1 million in 2021. Due to heightened terrorist activity in Europe, and with US-based multinational companies moving to Western Europe, the MNS software emergency communication market in EMEA is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.4 percent from 2017 to 2021, reaching $41.6 million in 2021. Our Analysis FedRAMP opens the door for cloud-based solutions Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a US government program providing a new standardized approach to security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. While this certification is not mandated by law, it will certainly affect how software-as-a-service (SaaS) and cloud vendors perform business with federal government agencies – increasing MNS software sales by the federal government, because nearly all vendors in this industry will switch to cloud-based solutions. Once a company is certified by FedRAMP, additional measures to buy or maintain vendors’ solutions is required. This cost savings will appeal to many government agencies as they look at the total cost to own a system. Western European governments will continue to use on-premises or hybrid solutions, because they are constrained by local laws and regulations surrounding the use of personal information and privacy. A majority of cloud-based MNS software market leaders are located in the US, which creates additional lag time for cloud systems to be purchased in European countries. New MNS platforms can reduce human error There is an obvious and growing need for more user-friendly system interfaces. For example, during a regulated standard test of Hawaii’s emergency missile warning system in January 2018, an employee selected the option to send out a full missiledefense alert, instead of choosing the test-cycle option. While this is a dramatic example of human error, there is a continuing need to improve the user interfaces of these systems to avoid unnecessary public panic in the future. Privacy laws and regulations slow cloud-based MNS software adoption across Europe I ncreasing acts of terrorism across Western Europe and North Africa over the past two years have forced central governments to investigate new and innovative ways to keep the general public safe. While most investment goes toward security cameras, access control, security doors and tough perimeter security, some governments will also choose to buy MNS software to facilitate communication between first responders and security teams. Privacy issues need to be addressed on a country-by-country basis, including the location of servers hosting cloud-based platforms. In Germany for example, MNS software providers must comply with the ‘German work first’ rule. This rule was implemented by the German government, because it did not want any German citizen’s information to be contained outside the country. Each country in the European market has different rules about hosted systems, which adds another layer of complexity to selling cloud-based systems in Europe. Security Technology I HS Markit provides extensive coverage of security technology markets, encompassing access control and fire, cybersecurity, digital ID, critical communications and video surveillance.
BOSCH and Genetec End-to-End Security, Day After Day
Cybercrime – one of the world’s biggest crimes goes nearly unnoticed. The Internet of Things makes mobility, businesses and industries more connected, but it also leaves them more vulnerable to cybercrime. Online hacking has become so widespread that, by 2021, it is estimated that the cost of cybercrime damages will be $6 trillion annually.* All it takes for a hacker is finding a single weak link, from the outside or more commonly inside, in a surveillance network to gain access to, and jeopardize an entire data system. To cancel out this risk, employ a data security system that’s been configured by experts with vast cybersecurity knowledge to make it completely effective from end-to-end. Partners in crime prevention The reputation of Genetec and Bosch in the field of mission-critical video security projects is constantly growing. Having access to the video management system (VMS) expertise of Genetec and Bosch’s innovative surveillance cameras gives customers the upper hand over the hackers, because Bosch cameras are fully integrated with Genetec systems, resulting in an endto-end data security solution incorporating all Bosch network video surveillance cameras, plus Genetec Archiver and Security Center. All network-wide communications between Bosch cameras and Genetec Archiver and Security Center are assigned an authentication key. This electronic signature enables the system to verify the legitimacy of network components like cameras or storage units, and viewing clients, ensuring that an infrastructure of trust is built before network-wide communications start. The best form of protection is encryption Cybercrime is one of the greatest threat to every company in the world,* so an effective and reliable method of safeguarding the video security infrastructure is needed. This is why encryption of data streams and stored data is vital. All Bosch IP-cameras have a built-in Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to safely store cryptographic keys used for authentication ensuring trustworthy communications between all network components and encryption of all video data. All cryptographic operations, for authentication and encryption, are only executed inside the unique built-in Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Encrypted video data is then sent from the camera to the Genetec Archiver using SRTP (Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol). Additional security is established via a ‘permissioning’ scheme based on privileges accumulated by specific users. Synchronized – Centralized – Better protected Because Genetec Security Center integrates with Active Directory, feature 82 SecurityLink India ■ March 2018 user management can be monitored and centralized at Windows level. As well as individual users, user groups from Active Directory can be synchronized with Security Center, whilst new users will automatically inherit existing Security Center privileges defined for that group. Securing cameras, management software, and clients Passwords are still an essential layer of security, but the Genetec Archiver also uses a client certificate (which can be signed by a trusted third party and is factory-installed) to authenticate themselves to the Bosch IP camera. In addition, only Bosch-approved firmware updates will be accepted, and any cryptographic operations are only executed inside the unique built-in Trusted Platform Module (TPM). Certificates are less at risk from hacking, which is why Genetec uses certificate authentication for its Security Center management software and clients. The video management systems interact directly with the Bosch cameras using certificates for authentication, and because stored data stays encrypted and data is transmitted via SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) confidentiality and data protection are guaranteed. Using SRTP throughout the whole video security infrastructure enables customers to set up a secured multi-cast network, and get security and good network scalability at the same time. Together, Bosch and Genetec provide one of the world’s best data security solutions.
Smart IoT Industrial Park Brings Productivity & Quality to a New Level
To grasp the current manufacturing trends and seize the Zeitgeist of Industry 4.0, Dahua Technology has put to use a new smart IoT industrial park in Hangzhou. Dahua Smart (IoT) Industrial Park occupies in total 512 acres in Fuyang district of Hangzhou, about 20 minutes’ drive from Dahua headquarters, designed to host 6000 staff (by 2017, 4500 people have been working/ living in the 262 acres of phase one area). With topnotch technologies, personnel, materials and other benefits, Dahua’s smart industrial park will bring productivity and quality to a brand new level. Faster production & adaption The automatic production solution based on integrated information system not only grants a higher productivity that significantly shortens the delivery cycle time for Dahua customers, but also a greater flexibility to specialized requests and ever-changing reality. The employment of software such as ERP, PLM, PDM, MES, APS and WMS helps achieve information integration, which, combined with industrial cameras, RFID sensory technologies and automation technologies, can integrate personnel, logistics, works, engineering projects and finance from respective sections of production (preparation, assembly, testing, packaging, inspection, shipment), rendering the whole process visible, traceable and digital. The mounter serves as a good synecdoche to illustrate the incredible efficiency of the whole production system. The concerning highend devices (including mounter, printer, automated optical inspection equipment, Ersa reflow soldering tools etc.) provided by ASM (originally Siemens) achieve a speed among the fastest in the world. According to IPC standard, X4iS, the latest high-speed mounter can process 125,000 components per hour, or 35 per second. X35 multifunctional mounter can do 54000 components per hour, or 15 per second. A production line in X series can enhance the productivity by 2.7 times while reducing the consumption of energy by 52%, comparing to the original production line in D series under the same conditions. The faster speed also applies to the development of new molding, since Dahua smart industrial park provides the great benefit of internal synergy, allowing the end-to-end vertical supply chain with marketing, R&D and manufacturing efficiently integrated. The advanced organizing system is supported by topnotch equipment such as MAKINO highspeed graphite processing machine, GF CNC, GF WEDM-LS machine, Hexagon 3D Nikon projectors and electronic displays. With a processing accuracy of +/-0.002 to +/-0.005mm, while also supporting CAD/ CAM/ CAE collaborative development and simultaneous manufacturing, these machines enable Dahua to develop new mechanical molding in as short as 7 days. By far, this developing system has already produced high precision molding for Lechange Robots, monitoring cameras in TP1-TC6 series, G20 intelligent head-gears, smoke alarm for fire detectors etc., all of which are proving the effectiveness of the system in shortening the development cycle and keeping the competitive edge with new products in the business. Higher quality Higher quality saves lots of time and economic costs for clients. Even more importantly, higher quality results in less likelihood for products to malfunction especially when they are used in critical, notallowed-to-go-wrong situations. Dahua’s products are guaranteed with a higher quality for two reasons – first, Dahua has set a high standard of accuracy in production; second, with a reliability lab at the production end, it has put together an effectively closed loop for quality control in the manufacturing process. Accuracy enhanced Accuracy has always been one vital index defining the manufacturing ability because it directly sets the limit to quality and range of products to be produced. Again, take the mounter mentioned above for example – it can process components, in metric size, as small as 03015 (0.3×0.15mm), with a +-0.025mm SMD precision (within the 3-stigma range), boasting world leading performance and capable of covering basically all types of components used in the industry. Dahua industrial camera plays an important role in IoT, providing a closed loop for quality control in the manufacturing process, in which all materials, personnel and devices are connected and products are traceable to the specific production line and precise time it got made. Boasting a variety of functions, Dahua industrial cameras are used in different sections of production, enabling automatic assembly, high-precision graphic inspection and product flaw inspection. Through high definition machine vision, Dahua industrial cameras automatically and precisely locate the components, limiting the assembly error to micron level. Equipped with enhanced vision and intelligent analytics algorithm, the industrial camera can spontaneously detect and recognize flaws in the performance and outlook of products, thus promising not only the volume of cameras production but also the steady quality of each and every one of them. Reliability reinforced Reliability must be put to test, in R&D as well as in manufacturing process. The reliability lab at the production end serves to assure quality by randomly taking products from production lines and put them into reliability tests simulating falling, high/ low temperature, worn-out conditions, which are conducted by industry leading testing equipment in the lab. Thus what’s conceived in R&D is confirmed from the production line, the synergy of both ends promising better products (for common use or specialized needs). This lab is also responsible for testing all the raw materials. Thanks to the aforementioned information integration, all tests are automatically conducted, recorded and traceable. In conclusion, Dahua Smart (IoT) Industrial Park is endowed with the latest and world leading manufacturing equipment/ system boasting high level automation and intelligence, which is essential to satisfy the ever higher demands from clients in terms of delivery time, specialized use and quality. There is still great potential to this new smart industrial park. It is literally only in its phase one, and in the future phase, it is expected to be more intelligent, to realize clientcentered flexible production and to enable a safer society and smarter living. By – Balasubramanian Jayam Head of Marketing (India & SAARC), Dahua Technology Co., Ltd.
HID Predictions in Id Technology
HID Global has identified the top trends in the identity technology industry for 2018. The company points towards increased cloud and mobile access adoption, more focus on securing the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics as some of the top trends that will take center stage in developing more intelligent, connected experiences this year. “Trusted identities will emerge this year as the fundamental building blocks for organizations to create environments that connect people, places and things,” said Samuel Asarnoj, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Business Development with HID Global, “The user experience will be redefined by mobile, IoT and cloud technologies, and deliver new capabilities for the future.” HID Global sees five significant trends in 2018 that will influence how organizations leverage the power of trusted identities. Organizations embracing the benefits of the cloud I ncreased awareness of the cloud’s ease of deployment, flexibility, connectivity options and productivity benefits will escalate adoption. Access control cloud platforms with APIs and SDKs will fuel new software solutions that expand choices for organizations to get the most out of their investments. Cloud-based card issuance will drive adoption due to its simplicity, security and cost structure, while governments increasingly investigate how printed IDs can be complemented by cloud-issued mobile citizen IDs. Cloud authentication and credential management will further integrate mobile devices, tokens, cards and machineto-machine endpoints. And digital certifi cates in the IoT will draw upon the trusted cloud services to deliver and manage certificates across thousands of devices. More connected devices and environments drive focus on securing the IoT Digital certificates will become a core component for adding trust in the IoT by issuing unique digital IDs to printers and encoders, mobile phones, tablets, video cameras and building automation systems, plus a broader range of things like connected cars and medical devices. Apple iOS 11 ‘read’ support of NFC will fuel adoption of IoT-based applications such as brand protection, customer loyalty programs and other use cases that will further drive the need to enhance security in the IoT. Mobile access reaches tipping point for mass market adoption 2017 was the year when mobile access went mainstream and adoption will accelerate even further in 2018. Maturity in mobile solutions and integration into other systems, coupled with mobile’s ability to enhance user convenience, improve operational efficiency and provide higher security will drive accelerated growth for mobile access and mainstream adoption. Card emulation, the NFC mode most coveted for mobile access control, remains reserved exclusive to Apple Pay; this leaves Blue tooth as the communication standard for cross-platform mobile access support. Still, organizations will invest in readers and other infrastructure that supports NFC and BLE to prepare for future possibilities. Convergence of physical and digital security The concept of physical identity & access management (PIAM) will drive convergence of physical and digital security to a single credential, putting identity at the center of all use cases. Government, finance, energy and other regulated markets will emerge as the forerunners using these solutions for secure access to buildings, email, websites and VPN. The new converged identity models that use cloud authentication and mobile devices are also emerging such as the ability to verify a person’s presence at a location, mobile IDs that validate physical citizen IDs, and smart cards that authenticate users to enterprise resources. Data analytics will drive risk-based intelligence for predictive models and new capabilities Devices, access control systems, IoT applications and other solutions connected to the cloud will provide robust data for advanced analytics. Insights from these analytics can be used to optimize workflow solutions and provide more seamless access for end users. Predictive analytics and biometrics will play a crucial role in people-centric security and address employee demands for workplaces to deliver premium, more individualized services. Analytics will also help reduce downtime in the enterprise, spur factory automation and improve compliance via condition monitoring that is based on real-time location and sensing solutions.
School Security Systems Industry US Market Overview
With the growing number of schools in the United States with video surveillance, electronic access control and other traditional security systems, the number of potential “greenfield” projects for suppliers falls. Declining numbers of new security system installations will lead to slowing market growth over the next five years. Even so, security manufacturers are looking to implement the following new security technologies to improve school safety, which would also help reignite market growth: 1. Facial recognition technology Many of the video surveillance systems currently used in schools are not actively monitored and also rarely lack any form of effective automated response. Adoption of facial recognition technology would allow the surveillance system to proactively search for potential threats, and alert school administrators and security staff about unrecognized individuals in the building. Unfortunately, affordable facial recognition technologies are often unable to adequately recognize the number of faces in a typical school; plus, these systems can place a large strain on a school’s information technology network. 2. Logical and physical security identity management integration I ntegrating the school’s access control database with a higher authority logical database – for example, a student directory – would allow the access rights of former staff, and students who have been expelled or already graduated, to be removed automatically. However, access control providers may find it difficult to get permission to access student records and other sensitive data. Education administrators may also be uncomfortable with possibly creating a potential avenue of cyberattack. 3. High-security classroom doors with multipoint looking systems Higher-grade doors would create a far more effective barrier between students and potential attackers, creating numerous safe spaces throughout the building in emergencies. It’s also true, though, that purchasing thousands of doors would be expensive. Fire regulations often dictate that key entrances and exits remain fail-safe during emergencies. Locking and unlocking doors multiple times would also disrupt teaching. 4. Weapons checks using metal detectors or x-ray machines at school entrances Using metal detectors or x-ray machines at entrances along the school perimeter makes bringing weapons into the school much more difficult. However, schools often have multiple entrances, which means each school would require multiple detectors or x-ray machines – both of which are expensive. The school would also need to hire additional security staff to operate each machine. Securing entrances in this manner would also mean long queues would form after breaks and lunchtime, reducing the free time of students and staff. Access control intelligence service Entering its fourth full year, the IHS Markit Access Control Intelligence Service provides primary analysis of the equipment market, plus thorough investigation of key technology trends affecting the industry. Current topics of focus include mobile access, logical and physical identity management integration, adoption of biometric technology and security system convergence.
Verint®Systems New Line of Solutions for SMB Market
Verint®Systems Inc., the customer engagement company™, has announced its contact center workforce engagement offerings specifically designed for today’s small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Verint’s purpose-built SMB solutions provide a simple, modern approach to customer engagement, and rapid time to value. Because they are easy to implement, easy to use and easy to maintain, companies can cost-effectively heighten contact center workforce engagement, enhance service quality, optimize performance and meet compliance requirements. The new Verint SMB offerings are available in the cloud and on-premises, and include: Compliance recording: Captures, archives and retrieves interactions across channels – such as voice, including mobile, and instant message communications – and helps reduce risk to confidently meet strict compliance demands. In addition to traditional voice calls, the solution records customer interactions across unified communications platforms such as Microsoft Skype for Business and Cisco Jabber. Recording and quality management: Captures, replays and evaluates customer interactions across communications channels. Leveraging the technology, organizations can bring a focused approach to employee coaching and training. Workforce management: Simplifies forecasting and scheduling, while helping manage and reduce costs, advance workforce efficiencies and drive operational excellence. As employees expect the work environment to adapt to their personal lives, Verint solutions are helping businesses evolve with mobile apps and built-in support for flex scheduling and adherence. Workforce optimization: Combines recording, quality management and workforce management, bringing a holistic approach to ensuring the right employees with the right skills are available at the right time, supporting quality and compliance requirements, and sharing intelligence to improve workforce engagement and customer service operations. “Verint SMB offerings are changing how small and medium-sized businesses approach customer and workforce engagement,” says John Goodson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of products at Verint, “Our partners can easily integrate these offerings with other contact center solutions, providing customers maximum flexibility with low total cost of ownership.”
FICO Fintech 4finance Deploys AML and KYC Solution
4finance Group, Europe’s leading online and mobile consumer lender, has deployed FICO® TONBELLER® Siron® solutions for anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) compliance across 10 countries and 20 back-office systems in just nine months. The cloud-based FICO solutions are delivering audit-verified compliance with global and regional regulations while maintaining 4finance’s promise to issue customers a loan in 15 minutes. For these achievements, 4finance Group has won a 2017 FICO Decisions Award for Regulatory Compliance. “Working with FICO, we created an AML/ KYC framework that bolstered our compliance without compromising on speed and our promise to customers,” said Andis Grandāns, AML Officer at 4finance Group, “In fact, fewer than 0.5 percent of customers applying for their first loan feel any impact on the speed of their loan being disbursed. As proof of our success, we have already undergone a regulatory audit on our AML/ KYC processes and received a clean bill of health.” Speed to market 4finance Group is a global digital finance business that combines the discipline of a rigorous, highly regulated consumer lender with the capabilities and drive of a fast-paced, data-driven, borrower-focused fintech. It took on this project to ensure compliance with new requirements of the 4th European Union AML Directive in online consumer lending. “Our challenge was to find an AML compliance solution that was flexible in the way it could be integrated, but absolutely robust when it came to compliance capabilities,” said Grandāns, “Our speed to market and our ability to deliver funds to our customers quickly are fundamental to our business. We needed to ensure compliance in a way that did not compromise our brand promise of delivering fast funds to creditworthy people. We chose FICO TONBELLER because it offered us the fastest deployment, cloud for expansion to new markets, and the most powerful capabilities for detecting criminal activity.”