Bank technology

Albert Gonzalez pleaded guilty to charges that he stole data on 130 million credit and debit cards from Heartland Payment Systems Inc., 7-Eleven Inc., Delhaize Group's Hannaford Brothers Co. and two unnamed national retailers.

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The card company Discover Financial Services Inc. has extended through 2015 an information technology outsourcing agreement with International Business Machines Corp.

An online payment start-up, WePay Inc., has raised $1.65 million from the venture capital firm August Capital in Menlo Park, Calif., and a group of angel investors, including Max Levchin, a co-founder of PayPal Inc., the TechCrunch blog reported last week.

The new year may bring the long-predicted "cashless society" closer to reality as several large grocery chains test no-checks policies.

On Wednesday the company announced an initiative to promote what it is calling "payment-enabled media" — terminals with video screens that can stream news programs or other entertainment, support online features and deliver advertising.

Cybersecurity jobs at a premium; settlement for Countrywide customers in data breach; security trends for 2010 include email attachments and fake anti-virus software; and more.

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Moneta Corp., an online alternative-payment processor, is introducing a new way for its bank customers to use its automated clearing house payment rails — for credit charges.

Consumers — particularly younger ones who may never have touched a check register — are increasingly expecting a more interactive online presentation of their finances. And banks find that PFM provides vital data — a more complete view of a person's financial life — that can help them cross-sell.

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HSBC Merchant Services, a U.K. unit of Global Payments Inc. of Atlanta, said it has been chosen as the preferred processor for the BHF-BSSA Group Trade Association, which comprises 7,000 small and midsize businesses.

The University of Dayton bought the former Ohio headquarters of automated teller machine maker NCR Corp. for $18 million.

Citigroup Inc. elaborated on its denial that its systems had been breached last summer, suggesting that, if a breach occurred, it would have happened at a third party.

The Armonk, N.Y., vendor said it would continue supplying management and support for Discover's technology operations while also investing in software, processing and storage technology.

With sales of automated teller machines slow, some manufacturers are promoting outsourcing agreements to encourage small and midsize banks and credit unions to deploy advanced-function machines.

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The company announced a partnership Monday with Carphone Warehouse Group PLC, a British consumer electronics store chain, to encourage people to use their cellular handsets for online shopping and other services.

FBI probes possible attacks by Russian cybergang; hackers use comic strips to install malware; start-up to produce antivirus software for mobile phones; and more.

The Portland, Ore., prepaid tech provider Vesta Corp. said NetSpend Corp. will use Vesta's Web reload service for NetSpend prepaid cards.