Customers and the banking regulators expect and require financial institutions to have effective written policies to help assure that their Web sites are secure, protected from hackers and resistant to computer viruses. To assist financial institutions prepare these policies, Grant Thornton introduces its second edition of the Intrusion Testing Manual for Financial Institutions.

“Grant Thornton developed the Intrusion Testing Manual as a guide for financial institutions to use as they conduct their intrusion risk evaluations and develop policies and procedures to protect their information, operating and internet systems,” says John Ziegelbauer, managing partner of Grant Thornton’s financial institutions industry practice.

“We introduced the manual in January 2001. This second edition incorporates new provisions to address privacy issues of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and procedures to help meet Sarbanes-Oxley Act internal control requirements. It also highlights new technology advances and security threats in this post-9/11 world.”

The manual is designed to:

• Provide financial institutions with a guide for developing the information technology (IT) security policies and procedures required by industry regulators.
• Outline important risk factors a financial institution must consider, the physical and intangible costs associated with intrusions and the various options for controlling risk and protecting against intruders.
• Provide detailed descriptions of threats and risk mitigation options so that financial institutions can make educated decisions regarding their IT security program.

“Working with the information provided in this manual, banks should be able to draft and implement IT security policies and procedures catered to their specific needs and the requirements of their regulators,” continues Ziegelbauer. “By putting comprehensive IT security polices in place, banks will exceed the minimum requirements to protect their customers.”

To download a free copy of the Grant Thornton Intrusion Testing Manual for Financial Institutions, visit Grant Thornton, or call our toll-free number at 877.835.1723.