Bank technology

New software aims to help prevent wireless network hijacking, or "commjacking." But there are also steps banks can take on their own to protect employees and customers from this seldom-discussed but ever-present threat.

In the wake of recent court rulings upholding homeowners associations' "super lien" status in foreclosures, mortgage vendors have flooded the market with products to help servicers and investors manage this long-standing threat.

California officials briefly raised hopes among digital currency proponents Friday by releasing a statement that they would drop plans to regulate digital currency businesses and instead defer to the legislature.

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Carolina Bank's growth, and a corresponding increase in remote workers, drove the CEO and IT department to seek technology tightening access to its systems without making it harder for employees to log in.

A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week, including the merits and drawbacks of Sen. Richard Shelby's regulatory reform legislation, whether bigger banks are inherently riskier and banks' evolving interest in blockchain technology.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and from our social media platforms.

Orchard Platform in New York has added two nonbank lenders to its marketplace lending service that matches institutional investors with loan originators.

Investor communications company Broadridge Financial Solutions has entered into an agreement with Thomson Reuters Lipper to acquire its Fiduciary Services and Competitive Intelligence unit.

Quants are still around, and their computer, math and statistical modeling skills are still sorely needed in banking. But they're more likely to apply their brainpower to stress tests than to pricing complex derivatives or exotic products.

It took three or so days to settle stock trades. What if that could happen instantly and be recorded on a blockchain for everyone to see?

James Varga, chief executive of miiCard, discusses how today's backward identity-management system requires people to share more information than is really necessary just to prove who they are.

For all the excitement about the blockchain's potential to shake up the financial industry, few people understand how it works. The really revolutionary part of the blockchain process is how miners manage to keep records of transactions accurate and tamper-proof.

Hackers may have breached a database with information on 1.1 million customers of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a health insurer operating in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Customers Bancorp will offer free financial coaching to customers of its mobile-banking product who maintain higher monthly deposits.

VidVerify, a new company started by a co-founder of Lenders One, produces online videos that educate borrowers on the milestones of the mortgage process, while helping lenders ensure regulatory compliance.

A handful of banks are upgrading their apps with Siri-like "virtual assistants" that understand spoken questions at a time when most institutions don't even let digital customers do typed keyword searches of their transaction data.

Benjamin Lawsky, the New York regulator known for aggressive investigations and headline-grabbing fines against financial firms, is stepping down, and he reportedly plans to make a living offering banks and other companies advice.

Former Citigroup executive Deborah McWhinney has joined the board of IHS, a provider of information on markets and industries worldwide.

Let Target's settlement with MasterCard over the retailer's massive data breach serve as a reminder of the need for all participants in the payments system to play by the same set of rules.