FFIEC Issues Guidance on Authentication and Access Risk Management
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), on behalf of its members, issued guidance that provides financial institutions with examples of effective authentication and access risk management principles and practices for customers, employees, and third parties accessing digital banking services and information systems. The guidance sets forth risk management principles and practices that can support a financial institution’s authentication of users accessing financial institution information systems, including employees, board members, third parties, service accounts, applications, and devices and consumer and business customers authorized to access digital banking services. The application of these principles and practices may vary at financial institutions based on their respective operational and technological complexity, risk assessments, and risk appetites and tolerances.
The guidance replaces the FFIEC members’ 2005 guidance titled “Authentication in an Internet Banking Environment” and 2011 guidance titled “Supplement to Authentication in an Internet Banking Environment.” Also rescinded are the OCC Bulletin 2005-35 titled “Authentication in an Internet Banking Environment: Interagency Guidance” and the OCC Bulletin 2011-26 titled “Authentication in an Internet Banking Environment: Supplement,” which conveyed the 2005 and 2011 guidance, respectively. The guidance:
- highlights the current cybersecurity threat environment, including increased remote access by customers and users and attacks that leverage compromised credentials, and mentions the risks arising from push payment capabilities.
- recognizes the importance of a financial institution’s risk assessment to determine appropriate access and authentication practices to determine the wide range of users accessing financial institution systems and services.
- supports a financial institution’s adoption of layered security and underscores weaknesses in single-factor authentication.
- discusses how multi-factor authentication or controls of equivalent strength can more effectively mitigate risks.
- includes examples of authentication controls, and a list of government and industry resources and references to assist financial institutions with authentication and access management.
The Appendix to the guidance presents examples of authentication controls and a list of government and industry resources and references to assist financial institutions with authentication and access management. The cybersecurity threat landscape continues to present significant risks to financial institutions, reinforcing the need for financial institutions to effectively authenticate and control access for users and customers to protect information systems, accounts, and data.
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Keywords: Americas, US, Banking, Authentication, Community Banks, Cyber Risk, Operational Risk, Internal Controls, Technology Risk, Third-Party Risk, Digital Banks, Regtech, OCC, FFIEC
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