No Token Resistance

This May, New York-based Citibank began supplying its business customers with authentication tokens from Belgium-based Vasco. The security technology provider's Digipass GO3 two-factor digital authentication tokens issue a one-time password for accessing online applications.

The bank claims the tokens will help reduce the risk of account breaches through key logging and spyware for users of its CitiBusiness Internet banking service. "While this initiative involves a sizeable technology investment on our part, it is indicative of the type of effort Citigroup makes every day to keep our clients' assets safe," said Jorge Bermudez, CEO of Citigroup's commercial business group.

By early summer, CitiBusiness customers must use the tokens in order to perform cash management and other financial transactions online. If they do not have the token devices on hand, they cannot perform any transactions online, according to the bank. However, they still may sign on to view a limited set of account information.

News & Rollouts

** ABN AMRO Guards Desktops

This April, ABN AMRO Global Futures (Amsterdam) implemented the Endpoint Access Manager by Bridgewater, N.J.-based ControlGuard to manage the secure use of removable media and portable devices. The solution is being deployed on the bank's trading desktops to prevent data theft and general information leakage. Through Access Manager, ABN AMRO hopes to thwart unauthorized use of removable media and portable devices, such as thumb drives, CDs and iPods. Unauthorized transactions are blocked, monitored and communicated in real time to the management consoles.

** TrustBank Trusts in Nexus

TrustBank (Olney, Ill.) implemented the distributed client version of Nexus Software's (Raleigh, N.C.) INvolve middleware. The tool works in conjunction with Harland Financial Solutions' (Atlanta) Phoenix bank core solution, which TrustBank uses for its core and teller functions. INvolve enables the bank to support a combination of fat-, slim- or thin-client configurations deployed under Microsoft Windows or Linux environments to increase flexibility and lower cost. Nexus' Zero Touch administration tools are included to eliminate teller station visits for routine setup, configuration and updates.

** Citizens to Provide Remote Capture With P&H

In early May, Providence, R.I.-based Citizens Bank rolled out the wcmVirtualBranch remote image capture product to its business clients. The solution, from Newton, Mass.-based P&H Solutions, is an electronic check processing platform designed to meet the needs of a financial institution's processing requirements for check image capturing -- either check truncation (IRD) and/or conversion (ARC and POP). The system is scalable to meet multiple presentment environments, including centralized lockboxes and distributed locations, according to P&H.