Using Thales HSMs, North Dallas Bank and Trust Co. improves service while lowering costs and protecting PINs

Weston, FL and Cambridge UK – 5 January 2011 – Thales, leader in information systems and communications security, announces that North Dallas Bank & Trust Co. chose Thales hardware security modules (HSMs) to help it move from outsourced PIN verification for ATM and debit transactions. With secure, in-house PIN verification, the bank has enhanced its service to customers with real-time balances while lowering its transaction costs.

“Customers want the balance they see online and on ATM receipts to reflect all their transactions, but with outsourced processing, customers had to wait,” says Greg Niemeyer, Executive Vice President of marketing and operations for North Dallas Bank. “Looking at customer service, security, and costs, it made sense to take control of ATM and debit transactions. With Thales HSMs providing security, our customer’s PINs have never been safer.”

Prior to implementing in-house PIN verification, North Dallas Bank outsourced its ATM and debit transaction verification processing to a larger bank. Using an HSM-protected process, the larger bank drove PIN verification and sent North Dallas Bank a transaction file detailing activity. To update customer account balances, North Dallas Bank regularly posted the file to its internal systems. Expensive for the bank, outsourced processing also inconvenienced customers because it often took several hours for balances to reflect recent ATM and debit transactions.

Using S1 Postilion software for processing and the Thales HSM 8000 to provide a secure processing environment, North Dallas Bank now verifies its customers’ PINs in-house. The bank is enjoying a number of benefits compared with outsourced transaction verification. Each transaction posts quickly, increasing customer satisfaction by providing easy access to more accurate balance information. Because it controls its customers’ sensitive PIN information, North Dallas Bank is more confident that the process and its reputation are secure. As an added benefit, the bank has seen transaction processing costs go down significantly, helping to make ATM and debit services more profitable.

“Add up the benefits of increased customer satisfaction and lower processing costs,” notes Niemeyer. “There’s no question that moving to in-house PIN processing with Thales HSMs and our S1 solution was a great decision. By using Thales HSMs, we’re protecting our customers’ PINs with the same unwavering diligence we apply to safeguarding their deposits.”

“Regulators demand that banks provide hardware-based protection for PINs,” says Franck Greverie, Vice President for the information technology security activities of Thales. “However, North Dallas Bank recognized that PIN protection is not just a compliance question. The bank is safeguarding its excellent reputation along with customer trust. We are pleased that North Dallas Bank chose Thales HSMs to secure in-house PIN verification, and we look forward to supporting its efforts to provide its customers with the best in service and security long into the future.”