I have a keen interest in the workings of banks, particularly in how tech support safeguards servers and security. I'm curious as to where the crucial information about money accounts is stored and whether it is kept at a secure data center.



Additionally, I wonder how banks go about recruiting the right specialists for their tech support team. As for the pin-code cards, I am curious about their origin and how they are created.

Furthermore, I am interested to know who is responsible for training bank employees on software usage and where this training is typically conducted.

The security of data is of paramount importance to banks. This means that ordinary people do not have access to it.

A friend of mine used to work as a system administrator at a bank two years ago. His work hours began at 14:00 and ended late. The data from their system was backed up daily and sent to the head office via an encrypted channel with protection against eavesdropping (the person had to sign a subscription).

They used phone-to-phone communication. Information on accounts and transactions for the entire period of the system's existence was kept in several copies - in the office, central office, and regional offices. The system occasionally performed database reconciliations. Prior to his work at the bank, he worked as a sysadmin in the tax service.

Protecting financial information is crucial in today's digital age, and banks invest heavily in ensuring the security of their data. It's fascinating to see the measures they take to keep sensitive information out of the wrong hands.

I am curious about the inner workings of banks and how they handle their servers and security. Interestingly, a couple of banks in the United States use Amazon's cloud to store their information.

It's important to know where banks store their information such as money accounts. Typically, banks have their own data centers and have a concept of an ABS core, such as SAP, where data on accounts, credits, and overdrafts are kept.

Finding specialists for these roles is similar to any other office - there is usually an HR group. While it's not entirely true that they do not hire from outside the company, most banks prefer to hire juniors or individuals from universities. However, senior positions for support systems are also open depending on the department's goals.

Pin-code cards come from separate systems connected to the core. The pin-codes are usually separate from the cards, and when the card is given, the envelope with the pin-code number is already entered into the program.

Banks are responsible for training their own software and may write their own programs or purchase them from other companies. It's interesting to see how banks operate behind the scenes and the measures they take to keep information secure.

If you want to learn about how banks operate, consider getting a job there. Work for a few years and you'll gain a lot of knowledge. Additionally, it's worth researching security topics such as Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliance and Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) through Google or other resources.

Working in the banking industry can be a great opportunity to learn about finance, technology, and security. It takes time and dedication to develop expertise, but the rewards can be significant. Additionally, keeping up-to-date with security best practices and standards is essential to ensure that sensitive information is protected.

Banks require a comprehensive security system for real-time monitoring, which is now considered a basic requirement. Continuous monitoring serves three purposes: detecting robberies and fraud cases, monitoring bank staff and visitors, and controlling money transactions. Employers may monitor employees to encourage adherence to bank regulations and as preventative measures to address disputes that may arise in the workplace. Video analytics is the most powerful tool of intelligent security systems, enabling the analysis of events that have already happened and reducing queue length by opening additional cash registers, among others.

Continuous monitoring and analytics are the two main tasks that banks solve with the help of integrated security systems. However, there are other important queries, including improving image quality without increasing the archive's storage capacity, reducing the number of cameras while maintaining coverage, and optimizing existing security systems for ease of scaling and maintenance.

In terms of what to expect from security systems, AI-powered smart cameras that recognize and identify people and objects within seconds are a significant development. The H.265 compression format and its variations H.265+, H.265Pro, and H.265Pro+ are gaining popularity, allowing for encoding video streams without losing quality and reducing the amount of video data by 80% compared to the original. Finally, unified platforms for managing all security system components are developing in response to the growing number of connected devices, primarily IP cameras, access control system elements, and LCD information panels.

Your questions are fairly wide-ranging, but I'll do my best to cover them all.

Storage of Bank Information: Banks store crucial information about money accounts in highly secure data centers. These facilities have meticulously designed physical and cybersecurity measures in place to safeguard the immense amounts of sensitive information. The physical measures include things like video surveillance, biometric access control, fire suppression systems, and environmental controls. The digital security measures involve features like encryption, intrusion detection systems, and firewalls. Data is often regularly backed up and distributed across multiple geographical locations to ensure its safety even in the case of a catastrophic event at one center.

Tech Support Team Recruitment: Banks recruit tech support team members through the traditional recruitment process, much like any other industry. This usually involves reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and assessing the technical skills of the candidates. In some banks, the recruitment process may include a rigorous evaluation of technical prowess and aptitude for problem-solving, especially for roles that involve troubleshooting complex technical issues or developing applications that help in banking operations. Banks usually look for individuals with computer-related degrees or equivalent work experience, knowledge of banking software, mastery in network security, and excellent problem-solving and communication skills.

Pin-code cards: These are typically a form of two-factor authentication (2FA), used as an additional layer of security. The bank or card provider usually generates these PINs using a hardware security module (HSM), which is a physical computing device that safeguards and manages digital keys for strong authentication and provides cryptoprocessing. These modules meet the highest level of security certification to ensure the process is secure. The PINs are then usually sent to the users via a secure method.

Training for Bank Employees: Training of bank employees on software usage is typically done by a team dedicated to training and development within the bank, although it sometimes may be outsourced to a specialist company. The training usually consists of classroom training, e-learning courses, hands-on workshops, and sometimes even one-on-one sessions with experts. The location of the training depends on the bank's size and locations; it could be conducted at the bank's main office, at local branches, or remotely via online platforms. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend toward online training increased substantially due to the newfound emphasis on remote work.

The world of banking is ever-evolving, particularly with the role technology plays in its operations. Whether we're speaking about data security or software training, the ultimate goal is to maintain the integrity of personal information and the trust that banking customers place in these institutions. It's a complex and fascinating field with many crucial players and considerable behind-the-scenes work dedicated to keeping the operations running smoothly and securely.


More detail on some of these topics:

Data Center Security: These facilities often have reinforcement to withstand natural disasters, redundancies in power supplies (like diesel generators and uninterrupted power supply devices), cooling systems to manage the amount of heat generated by servers, and multi-layered fire suppression systems to manage any fire emergencies. Furthermore, data centers often operate under the principle of least privilege where access to information is restricted and designs include the separation of duties to minimize the risk of unauthorized access or changes to data.

Recruitment and the Skills Desired: In addition to the basic qualifications, banks often look for individuals with specific certifications like CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), depending on the position's specific requirements. Expertise in specific systems and applications such as SQL, Java, UNIX/Linux, or IBM's software stack can be beneficial. Given the attention to privacy and regulatory compliance in the banking industry, knowledge of regulations like GDPR or the USA's Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act can also be a significant advantage.

Two-factor Authentication (2FA) and Secure Hardware: 2FA adds an extra step to your basic login procedure. After you enter your username and password, you must also enter a unique code that is often provided via text message, email, or an authenticator app. PIN-code cards offer similar protection by requiring the user to verify their identity using something they have (the card) in addition to something they know (their PIN) before granting access. As I mentioned earlier, they are usually generated using HSMs which are tamper-resistant.

Employee Training and Development: Training programs can range from basic tech savviness ("How to use email securely") to specific applications or systems ("How to use our bank's customer relationship management software"). Some banks have dedicated internal learning management systems (LMS) that provide a platform for various e-learning materials, modules, and assessments. External vendors also play a significant role in providing in-depth training on their specific systems or products.

Advanced Data Center Practices: Data centers implement advanced strategies like data mirroring (creating identical data sets to maintain functionality even upon failure of the primary system) and clustering (linking several servers together that take over if there is a system failure). For cybersecurity, data centers may maintain 'air-gapped' systems, which are networks completely isolated from the rest of the institution's main systems and the internet at large to prevent cyberattacks. Also, techniques like data tokenization are used, where sensitive data elements are replaced with non-sensitive equivalents, called tokens, that have no exploitable or meaningful value.

Specialized Recruitment Strategies: Banks may utilize various strategies to get the right talent for their tech support teams, including partnerships with tech-focused universities or colleges, sponsorship of tech events like hackathons, and networking in tech conventions or online tech communities. Internship programs can also be a valuable talent acquisition pathway. For senior roles, headhunting firms might be engaged to seek out experienced professionals.

Creation and Security of PIN-code cards: In terms of security, PIN-code cards and associated processes are usually PCI DSS compliant. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. It establishes procedures for creating, distributing, and using these secure PIN codes while minimizing the risk of interception or fraud.

Continuous Learning and Employee Upskilling: Banks promote a culture of continuous learning and certification among their tech employees due to the rapid evolution in fintech and cyber threats. Formal initiatives like sponsored certifications, attending global conferences or webinars, participating in industry-wide security drills, and in-house workshops conducted by external consultants may be in place. Furthermore, employees are regularly updated about the newest phishing strategies, secure communication techniques, and regulatory changes to help develop a first line of defense against potential cyber threats. Simulation software might also be used for training purposes that can emulate real-life situations, aiding in hands-on learning and crisis management practice.

The tech aspects of banking are intricate and multifaceted, woven into every aspect of financial services, from transactions and record-keeping to customer relations and regulatory compliance. At the same time, the industry is under constant pressure to innovate as customer demands and the threat landscape evolve. This creates a perpetually stimulating environment for tech professionals who strive to enhance security measures and improve customer experiences.