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PLUS-daily
Editorial Board of PLUS Journal informs you that next release of on-line news service PLUS-daily will be published on January, 11th, 2009, after accomplishing Christmas and a New Year's holidays in Russia.
Yours sincerely,
Alex Grizov, Publisher & PLUS team
Eurasian Bank ( Almaty, Kazakhstan) has started issuing Visa Infinite cards inlaid with brilliants. Each card is decorated by a brilliant of 0.02 carats and gold artwork. New card destines for private VIP-clients of the Bank, which income is upper US$300 thousand.
National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has approved a special Procedure of Actions for financial rehabilitation of banks. The document is approved by decision of NBU from December, 1st, 2008, and inures since December, 29th, 2009.
On December, 26th, the Protocol of cooperation between Association of the Russian banks (ARB) and Association of Russian members of EUROPAY (REMA) has been signing in Moscow. The Protocol specifies close cooperation between ARB and REMA in their activity for development of cashless payments.
Nowadays customers can use 600 ATMs of Bank of Moscow, located in Moscow and Moscow region, to make donations in favour of Charity Fund of Central Federal District (CFD) of Russian Federation "Support for children and families in hard life situation".
Since 2010, two new ID-documents will replaced passports of Armenian citizens. One of the documents – ID-card, will be used locally, and the second document – biometric passport, will be used for traveling abroad. Chip of electronic passport will contain digital images of fingerprints and photo of passport owner. Cost of new passport will be about 1 thousand drahms (3 US dollars).
Since December, 22nd 2008, transport company "Ukrzalisnytsya" (Ukrainian Railways) has introduced the fist stage of railways tickets purchasing project via the Internet.
Sberbank (Savings Bank of Russia), which web-site is accessible to www.sbrf.ru address, declared about start of new, updated version of Bank’s web-site www.sberbank.ru.
Communication Ministry of the Russian Federation has restored to the budget 2.4 billion roubles allocated for the project of new generation of passport and visa documents system. It was announced that the main reason of the transaction was lack of confidence in expediency of the planed expenses. One more barrier was late transfer of scheduled funds – Communication Ministry had received this money only in the 3rd quarter 2008, and it was absolutely impossible to fulfill this part of planned contract till the end of current year.
Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) of Russia has prolonged the applications initiation term for banks, for the transfer of assets and obligations of the Moscow Mortgage Bank (MMB) till December, 25th, 2008. DIA participates in the plan on the prevention of MMB’s bankruptcy, and since December, 10th, 2008, executes in the bank the function of an acting administration.
On December, 23rd, 2008 Savings Bank of Russia, international payment system Visa Inc., and welfare fund «Donate Life» launched the first Russian bankcard with the Visa’s charitable program «Donate Life». The purpose of the given program – to assist children with oncological and other heavy diseases, being under the care of fund.
As the president and the Board chairman of VTB24 Michael Zadornov has informed, the bank expects to accumulate about 1.5 billion roubles of private deposits, following the results of service of the related accounts in 5 banks deprived of the licenses. About 60-65 % of investors of the banks deprived of the licenses and, accordingly, their investments will pass into VTB24.
INPAS Company supplied administration of one of the regions of Russian Federation with the first mobile mini-office of bank cash operations. This is the first experience in Russia when mobile mini-office of bank cash operations is bought by regional administration and assigned to a bank with the purpose to provide financial services to citizens living in remote districts of the region.
Alfa-Bank and SEVERNAYA KAZNA Bank declared the launch of the unification process of the ATM networks since December, 23rd, 2008.
Issuing and servicing of e-cash system www.webmoney.eu is launched in Latvia. The Latvian company "Digimoney" has acted as operator of e-cash system WebMoney. E-cash WebMoney (WM Notes), issued in accordance with the European legislation requirements, is electronic substitute and equivalent of cash. With its help, users can make small size instant payments for goods and services. Users store WM Notes on electronic devices and manage them using access codes.
According to the deputy chief of citizenship and migration department of the Internal Affairs Ministry of Belarus Anatoly Lanin, practical introduction of biometric passports in the country will demand 2–2.5 years. The creation concept of the state system of manufacturing, registration, delivery and control of the new generation passport and visa documents has been approved in December, 2007.
President of Parex banka (Riga, Latvia) Nils Melngajlis and vice-president of American Express on Countries of the Central and Eastern Europe Alex Furber have discussed possibilities for further cooperation of Parex banka and AmEx. Following the results of meeting, N.Melngajlis has informed, that Parex banka will use the market situation for strengthening position of the bank in the credit cards market. Thus, the considerable part is assigned to effective cooperation with AmEx.
According to decision Visa Inc., OTP Bank has received license for acquiring activity. Thus, OTP Bank has gotten an opportunity to independently serve cards of International Payment Systems in the bank’s terminals located at merchants network.
Victor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, is intended to stop business of the currency exchange offices working under agency agreements with commercial banks. By his words, such exchangers destabilize the country currency market, and besides, their activity is difficult to supervise.
Within 2008, Zapsibcombank has expanded its АТМs network by 118 devices, and total number of ATMs achieved 350. Now, in ATMs network of Zapsibcombank, consumers can withdrawal cash advances, open and replenish accounts, top up mobile accounts, pay for domestic and long distance communication, Internet, utility, transfer money from card to card and repay bank credits.
December 2-3 2008, Visa Inc. first time has spent two-day acquiring forum in Moscow. 28 largest Russian banks have taken part in the forum, and number of visitors has exceeded 100 persons.
By official statement of the Savings Bank of Russia, during the period from December, 1st till December, 16th, 2008, inflow of deposits to bank has exceeded 42 billion roubles. Only for the first week of December, 2008, the given indicator of the bank has made 18 billion roubles.
In December, 2008, INPAS Company together with «Commercial bank of economic development «Bank of Kazan» realized the next of serial projects on installation of the automated pavilion for 2 devices (an ATM and a terminal) in the territory of city of Kazan.
First Vice President of Rosbank Igor Antonov has declared at press conference, the bank expects to expand a retail credit portfolio a minimum on 20% in 2009, against 40% growth in 2008.
In Mariupol, Donetsk Region ( Ukraine), a young man was detained, who tried to crack an ATM of Prominvestbank by means of a sledgehammer. The incident occurred on December 3, 2008. Armed with a sledge hammer, the man approached the ATM and began to strike its monitor, hoping to find money behind it.
According to Andrey Isaev, Head of the Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation on Labor and Social Policy, United Russia criticizes measures of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation aimed to overcome the consequences of the world financial crisis, however it is not going to demand resignation of Alexey Kudrin, Minister of Finance, leaving the personnel questions its leader, Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
HalykBank (the People's Bank of Kazakhstan) announced launch of the first-ever international money transfer project with the use of mobile phones, and also summed up the results of the development of its other remote services in 2008.
The international money transfer system UNIStream signed a partnership agreement with Credit-Standard Bank ( Tashkent, Uzbekistan). Its terms envision development of the transfer system’s network of service points through the bank branches, which are present in the largest cities of the Republic: Samarkand, Каttаkurgan, Fergana and Kokand.
Expert RA rating agencyand the National Agency for Financial Studies (NAFI)) presented data of their joint research project «Market of bank deposits: modern state and consumer preferences».
On November 28, 2008, Islam Каrimov, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has signed the Decree «On additional measures guaranteeing protection of the citizens’ deposits in the commercial banks of the Republic of Uzbekistan».
The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus has approached the top of the corridor of the official exchange rate of the Belarus ruble to the US dollar, envisaged for 2008. Beginning from December 13, 2008, the official rate will be 2200 Belarus rubles per one dollar. The top of the corridor was reached, first of all, because of a significant strengthening of the US dollar in the world currency market since August, 2008.
Only 38 % was drawn of the money allocated for the federal target program «Electronic Russia» in 2008. According to the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation, responsible for implementation of the program, contracts have already been concluded for 89 % of the money, and all the allocated funds will be drawn by the end of the fourth quarter of 2008.
Alfa-Bank announced a new fee for external money transfers. Beginning from December 15, the interbank payments carried out through Internet bank Alfa-Click and mobile bank Alfa-Mobile will cost 0.3 % of a transferred sum (minimum – 20 rubles, and maximum – 150 rubles).
SBERBANK of Russia plans within 5 years to supply pensioners and persons entitled to benefits withSocial Cards of RF Citizens. The given step will allow the bank to increase its client base by almost 50 %. Today, the total number of cards issued by SBERBANK of Russia exceeds 26 millions, while almost 12 million Russian are entitled for social privileges.
Bank24.ru (Банк24.ру) has changed the interest rates on hard currency card accounts: 10 % annual rates are charged on the balances of the card accounts opened in US dollars. Until recently the bank’s currency card account annual rate was 1 %. According to representatives of the bank’s management, such changes are due to the increasing number of clients willing to keep their money in dollars.
National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has provided refinancing for a total sum of 36.937 billion hrivnas (4.83 billion US dollars) to 94 Ukrainian banks, among which are state credit and financial establishments – Ukreximbank and Oschadnybank, and a number of large commercial banks – PrivatBank, Nadra Bank, Prominvestbank, Alfa-Bank, Ukrgasbank, «Finance & Credit» Bank, Ukrprombank, Rodovidbank, and PIVDENNYI Bank.
Experian Company has held its fifth annual Seminar on credit risk management in Moscow. Its aim was to acquaint the representatives of the banking community with the best examples from the world practice of credit risk management and to create conditions for a dialogue and exchange of experience. The event was attended by over 100 representatives of the leading credit and financial institutions of Russia and the CIS, including executive directors and heads of risk management and fraud prevention departments.
Belarusbank ( Minsk) is the first among Belarus banks to surpass the 3 million mark of issued plastic cards. Belarusbank was one of the first in Belarus market to start issue of the cards, and its first card was issued in 1996.
Raiffeisenbank, CIS Office of Oracle andRDTEX Company announced termination of their project for modernization of the IT-platform of Raiffeisenbank branches, which previously were a part of IMPEXBANK regional network.
UNIStream Bank, serving the money transfer system under the same brand, announced a launch of a network of its own terminals. At the moment, a pilot system of the credit organization includes 3 self-service kiosks, which accept payments for municipal, telecom and Internet services.
On December 8, 2008, Belarusbank, the largest bank in Belarus, stopped providing credits for purchase of housing.
«Work with problem assets» – CRIF Collection Services: official launch of a new business direction of CRIF Group in Russia. CRIF Company dedicated a special press conference to this event.
According to Alexander Turbanov, Director General of Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA), DIA has allocated 71 billion rubles for readjustment of Russian problem banks. 6.4 billion rubles out of the above sum are a part of the 200 billion rubles allocated to DIA from the federal budget for expansion of its functions (alongside with the deposit insurance function DIA got the powers for readjustment of the problem banks). The money came to DIA account at the end of November, 2008.
International money transfer system UNIStream has expanded the framework of its partner agreement with the express money transfer system Intelexpress. In accordance with their recent arrangements, Intelexpress Company will open for UNIStream its network in Turkey, which incorporates today over 500 service points. Since 2007, when they began their cooperation, both operators have already worked together in Georgia and Greece, where Intelexpress has, respectively, 16 and 6 points.
On December 12, 2008, a new service was presented in the office of Citybank in Leninsky Avenue( Moscow). Thus, now clients can get and use their debit bank cards on the same day, when they submit their applications, right after the paperwork is finished.
Dr. Web Company warns about new Trojan Locker.8 virus, which penetrates into computers and blocks access to the users’ data.
The financial companies of Great Britain – issuers of credit cards, have signed a new code, which forbids them to raise their interest rates sharply.
Alfa-Bank has lowered mortgage credit interest rates. Now the minimal credit rates for acquiring of an apartment in the secondary housing market are 14.4 % in US dollars (previously – 16.4 %) and 19.4 % in rubles (previously – 21.4 %), while for acquiring of a cottage – 15.9 % in US dollars (previously 17.9 %) and 20.9 % in rubles (previously 22.9 %).
On December 12, 2008, Supreme Rada of Ukraine adopted law №3343 «On amendments to certain acts of Ukraine (concerning prohibition for banks to change unilaterally the terms of bank deposit and credit contracts)».
IBM Internet Security Systems (ISS), a subdivision of IBM Company, announced a new service of remote network scanning of vulnerabilities and consulting in the field of PCI DSS.
Diebold Company will ensure re-equipment of the retail network of Dexia, a leading European bank group. In accordance with a concluded contract, within two years Diebold will provide to the bank 1000 Opteva 328 EF/D terminals with a cash recycling function. The ATMs equipped with Agilis Power software are manufactured to individual order of Dexia and intended for the bank’s Belgian subdivision, where they will replace the previously installed ATMs of Diebold 9x series.
Now cards of payment system Diners Club Int. are accepted in 1160 railway ticket offices across Russia, including all railway stations and points of sale in Moscow and St.-Petersburg, and also 209 cities and settlements in Russia. Diners Club cards are also accepted for payment of trips in express trains, which deliver air passengers to the capital airports.
By December 1, 2008, Texnikabank ( Baku, Azerbaijan) issued 41 903 thousand cards. Since the beginning of 2008 the number of the bank’s active plastic cards has increased by 20 %. By the above mentioned date the acquiring network of Texnikabank included 46 АТМs and 330 POS-terminals.
German company Giesecke & Devrient now offers a flash card of microSD format with a built in NFC module. The innovation, dubbed Mobile Security Card CL, will fit practically any modern mobile phone.
Russian Standard Bank and Rapida payment system have entered into an agreement, which envisages expansion of the bank’s ATM functional. Due to the new service the holders of cards of Visa Inc., Master Card Worldwide and American Express payment systems can now pay for municipal services, cellular telecom services, Internet, long-distance and international calls in all ATMs of the Russian Standard Bank.
Sputnik Labs, one of the leading companies in the Russian market of client relations management systems, announced successful termination of the project of creation of a loyalty program in M.Video, the leading retail network of electronics and home appliances hypermarkets.
According to TransUnion.com agency, in the third quarter of 2008, the volume of debts on credit cards in the USA grew by 6 % in comparison with 2007, and by 1.6 % in comparison with the second quarter of 2008, and on average amounted to 5 710 US dollars. A nonpayment coefficient on at least one card account increased by 5.8 % in annual terms. In the third quarter the level of non-payments grew by 1.1 % compared with the same period of 2007 and by 4.8 % in comparison with the previous period.
According to Economic Times, Indian authorities actively analyze the opportunities and prospects of installation of biometric access control systems in the country’s airports.
In its first day of operation the biometric ID card system of the UK Border Agency (UKBA) detected an illegal migrant.
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International Bank of Azerbaijan ( Baku, Azerbaijan) jointly with American Express Company begins introduction of American Express SelectsSM program. The program represents an interactive platform intended only for AmEx cardholders. It provides them access to discounts in the leading Azerbaijan restaurants and retail networks.
Gold Crown – Money Transfer system has concluded a contract with the state enterprise Mail of Moldova. This step will allow 1.2 thousand post offices in that country to give out the money transferred via Golden Crown system.
On December 11, 2008, Alexander Turbanov, Director General of Deposit Insurance Agency (DIА), said that the Agency was considering its participation in readjustment of 5 problem banks.
Stanislav Kuznetsov, Senior Vice-President of SBERBANK of Russia, informed, that by 2012 the bank plans to open the biggest in Europe data-processing centre (DPC), which will allow to save at least 500 million euros annually. The sum of investments in the project was not disclosed.
PST Company and PAX Technology Ltd., manufacturer of equipment for servicing of payment cards and electronic payment security, entered into an agreement. According to its terms, PST Company becomes the master-distributor of the equipment supplied by PAX Technology Ltd. in Russia and CIS countries.
On November 3, 2008, Exhibition Firm «TROYAN», organizer of the first in Ukraine vending exhibition «Vending Expo», became a member of the European Vending Association (EVA).
United payment system NCC|UC and Evrofinance Mosnarbankbegan implementation of a project for attraction of banks to MasterCard Worldwide as affiliated participants.
On December 9 and 10, 2008, in the Lyons headquarters of INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) a series of presentations of EDAPS Consortium were held dedicated to the newest technologies and system solutions of the consortium for protection of ID documents and e-passports, and also counteraction to illegal production and contraband of excise marks.
Surgutneftegasbank, Office of Oracle in CIS and RDTEX Company announced successful termination of the project on establishment of the bank’s decision-making support system, implemented on the basis of Oracle Financial Services Applications (OFSA).
Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, demanded from the management of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and the Government of Russia to finish in a week term preparation and coordination of the bill on representatives of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in commercial banks.
According to All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM), in 2008, the number of Russians, who do not use Internet, decreased to 65 %, against 76 % in 2006. 11 % of the polled Russians use it everyday, 10 % – several times a week, 8 % – several times a month, and 6% – at least once in half a year.
The court of the State of Maryland (USA) obliged companies Innovative Marketing and ByteHosting Internet Services to stop advertising their antiviruses-extortioners in Internet.
Aeroflot – Russian Airlines has introduced a new service on its website – «Registration of a bonus trip». This function allows a client to get an air ticket for the bonus miles, which have been saved up within the framework of the Aeroflot Bonus loyalty program, online, without visiting an office of the air carrier.
According to a forecast of ComNews Research Company, in the 4th quarter of 2008, the global financial crisis will slow down the gain growth rates of the cellular telecom companies in Russia and CIS countries. A major factor of the changing growth dynamics will be not a decrease in the consumption of services, but «washing out» of the operators’ incomes.
Despite of the introduced restrictions on provision of credits in the commercial banks of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the total credit portfolio continues to grow. Rashad Orudzhev, Head of the Department of the National Bank of Azerbaijan (NBA) on Supervision over the Credit Establishments, said that the banks of the country did not cease the process of crediting and it was going on.
An original protection against ATM swindlers was invented in Japan. According to Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun, the country’s police begin an experiment with installation of systems for suppression of GSM- and CDMA-signals in ATMs installed in streets, railway stations and airports. Due to the cellular «suppressors» the banks and police hope to make useless the equipment for interception and transmission of financial data of the cardholders to malefactors.
The World Bank will create a fund of 2 billion US dollars for a quick provision of loans to the world’s poorest countries. The countries could receive «fast money» for investments in education and public health services, and also in infrastructure development. These measures, as the World Bank believes, will help the poorest countries to overcome the global financial crisis.
As Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation in the United Nations, said at a meeting of the UN Security Council, the necessity of additional international-legal regulation in order to prevent the use of cyberspace by terrorists became increasingly obvious.
In the opinion of Ivar Godmanis, Prime Minister of Latvia, bank Parex Banka, nationalized by the government, should be sold to a western credit establishment.
According to experts from International Data Corp.(IDC), by the results of the 3d quarter of 2008, the volume of sales in the segment of data storage systems amounted to 3.1 billion dollars, which 11.06 % more than in 2007.
In January-November, 2008, the total amount of the deposits of physical persons in the Belarus banks (including money of non-residents, savings certificates and bonds) increased by almost 2.8 trillion Br (1.3 million US dollars), or by 25.7 %, and at the beginning of December exceeded 13.6 trillion Br (6.2 million US dollars).
Lanit Company announced transformation of its subdivision for outsourcing of IT services into a separate legal person with a brand name of Onlanta.
SITRONICS Information Technologies announced signing of a contract with MTS Company on construction of data processing centers (DPC) in macroregions.
NXP Company announced that in the 3d quarter of 2008 its supply of microcircuits for electronic passports exceeded 100 million units.
According to the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIА), on December 11, 2008, depositors of the banks Integro and Kurganprombank ( Kurgan) began to receive insurance payments. On November 27, 2008, the Bank of Russia withdrew the banks’ licenses for banking transactions.
As Evgeny Korolev, Deputy Chairman of the Board of SBERBANK of Russia, said to mass-media, in November, 2008, the inflow of deposits of the physical persons in SBERBANK of Russia amounted to 11.8 billion rubles. In the first 8 days of December, 2008, alone, the inflow reached 18.5 billion rubles.
SOVETSKY Bank (St.-Petersburg) began implementation of the project on introduction of CFT-Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform). Now the first subsystems of CFT-Bank are being installed in the bank.
Sitronics Company announced its non-audited consolidated financial results by US GAAP standards for the 3d quarter and first 9 months of 2008.
SOGAZ Insurance Group has concluded a Bankers Blanket Bond (BBB) contract with Gazprombank for 2009. The program includes insurance on classical BBB policy terms (insurance of banks against crimes), insurance against electronic and computer crimes, and also insurance of the professional responsibility of the financial organizations.
On December 1, 2008, on the updated website of exhibition CARDEX and IT SECURITY 2009 (http: // www.cardexpo.ru/), which will be held in Expocentre ( Moscow), April 13-16, 2009, online registration of visitors is now available. The general information partner of the exhibition is PLUS Journal.
According to the survey conducted by Harris Interactive in the summer of 2008 on behalf of Level Four Americas LLC, a supplier of open standards-based ATM software, 35 percent of U.S. adults have had ATMs unavailable for their use in the past 12 months; and among these adults, 42 percent have experienced unavailability at the ATM three or more times in the past 12 months. The news was announced at the BAI Retail Delivery Conference & Expo in Orlando ( Florida, USA).
Commission on Elections, Comelec, began to register citizens, intending to take part in the national and local elections in 2010. For the first time in the country’s history the list of voters will be formed with the use of biometric technologies.
According to Taiwan Internet Association (TWIA), in 2008, each user in the country received, on average, some 29 spam messages a day. Thus, the total number of the undesirable correspondence exceeded 110 billion messages.
CyberSpy Software Company has obtained permission from the court of Florida ( USA) for realization of its RemoteSpy espionage software, the sale of which was previously forbidden.
According to experts from International Data Corp.(IDC), by the results of the 3d quarter of 2008, the volume of sales in the segment of data storage systems amounted to 3.1 billion dollars, which 11.06 % more than in 2007.
The National Agency for Financial Studies (NAFI) has published the results of a research, dedicated to the people’s attitude to a non-return of the bank credits.
Payment terminals became a new communications channel in the Russian market – by the size of a weekly audience they occupy the 4-th place in ТOP-10 channels of communications. This conclusion can be made from TGI-Russia research undertaken by COMCON Company in the 3d quarter of 2008.
Cisco Company announced the results of a large-scale poll done to its order by Illuminas Global Company of 7 743 private persons and 1 800 various companies from 24 cities of Russia, Poland, RSA, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. The aim of the poll was to find out, what hinders the use of Internet in urban conditions. The results obtained in the above countries by many parameters coincide and in general reflect the state of affairs in many other developing market economies.
According to the analytical report «Russian banks: love weakens every day», made by Bank «Renaissance Capital», only 30 largest banks of the Russian Federation will avoid serious problems in 2009, while for the others «merge and absorption will be vital». Experts from «Renaissance Capital», believe that with account of the recalled licenses the number of credit and financial establishments in Russia can be reduced by 200-250 banks; at that, in 2009, only 5 state banks will grow at advanced rates, and 25 other biggest banks will demonstrate growth of their assets at an average market level.
The Regional Credit Bank has finished the pilot stage of introduction of the Mini-offices project based on technologies of the Golden Crown, Russian payment system. The project was tested in the bank’s four mini-offices and allowed to organize full service on Golden Crown cards. By the results of the pilot project an act was signed on replication of the solution in the Bank’s subdivisions in Altay Territory, Republic of Khakassia, Orenburg, Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions, envisaging a monthly issue of at least 30 thousand Golden Crown cards in the regions.
Bank «SOYUZ» undertakes a special promotion campaign. Within its frameworks the clients who get Visa Inc. card in one of the bank’s three new offices in Moscow (Office «Avtozavodsky», Office «Leninsky Prospect» and Office «Моzhaisky»), will receive a souvenir with Visa trade mark as a gift.
A high risk of credit losses has forced the National Bank of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance and the country’s banks to elaborate a plan of joint actions for re-structuring of the borrowers’ debts. If the participants of the credit market agree with the terms of a corresponding memorandum, NBU will be able to lower the capital adequacy norm, while the Ministry of Finance will provide tax rebates to those banks, which sign the memorandum.
CROC Company announced its program including solutions and services aimed to minimize the consequences of the crisis and ensure an uninterrupted operation and stability of business.
In Saransk (Mordovia) five unknown persons penetrated into a two-storied office building of a house-building enterprise. The attackers tied up the enterprise’s two workers, a mechanic and a dispatcher, and also an Alex Security Agency guard, then by means of a gas-welding device they cracked an ATM of Vozrozhdenie Bank and stolen 1 million 950 thousand rubles.
Bank.24.ru informs that interruptions in provision of services to the Bank’s Visa Inc. cardholders are over. Clients can again pay with the Bank’s Visa cards for goods and services in retail enterprises.
On December 8, 2008, the National Reserve Bank (NRB) announced its decision to introduce a moratorium on payment of penalties or higher rates under the credits for the borrowers - physical persons.
The headquarters of the Eurasian Bank ( Almaty, Kazakhstan) launched a pilot stage of the project on mobile Bluetooth-marketing as an innovation for promotion of the bank’s retail products. The project is implemented by the bank jointly with BP Solutions Company.
According to experts from Trend Micro Company, in 2008, only 5 % of computers were infected because of their vulnerable software. Most attacks of a hundred most notorious malware viruses were successful because of users’ carelessness. So, in 53 % of cases the malefactors managed to convince their victims to load a file from an unreliable source, and 12 % of the users infected their computers by opening attachments to electronic messages.
According to experts from Trend Micro Company, in 2008, only 5 % of computers were infected because of their vulnerable software. Most attacks of a hundred most notorious malware viruses were successful because of users’ carelessness. So, in 53 % of cases the malefactors managed to convince their victims to load a file from an unreliable source, and 12 % of the users infected their computers by opening attachments to electronic messages.
At the international round table «National payment system, e-cash and bank cards: legal regulation» Anatoly Aksakov, President of Association «Russia», emphasized that a national payment system should be formed in a complex, with a simultaneous elimination of contradictions in the Russian legislation, in compliance with the international standards, and with account of the interstate integration.
Sharon Stamper is the brains behind the yellow lines that are now a standard fixture in all ATMs of Taranaki Savings Bank ( New Zealand), including the newly opened ones.
In the news digest of Trend Micro the company’s leading experts tell about new schemes of phishing and hacker attacks, and also about new versions of malware, which appeared in 2008.
Credit Union 24 Company (USA) has extended to Great Britain its CU HERE ATM Program (about 2 500 АТМs), which, in accordance with the traditional practice of this operator of АТМs and POS-terminals, does not charge any additional commission, either in the USA, or abroad.
Terrasoft Group and BSS Company, one of leaders in development of automated systems of remote banking service (RBS) in Russia, have entered into a long-term partner agreement, the aim of which is development of a new activity of BSS – introduction of CRM-systems.
In the opinion of Lubov Slobodeniuk, Executive Director of CreditSvit Company( Kiev), the point of no-return of mortgage credits can be expected in the spring of 2009. This risk, she believes, is due to the fact that 82 % of all the credits are in dollars, and lately grivna has depreciated by 30 %.
As Alma Obayeva, Deputy Director of Department of Settlement Regulation of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, said at the conference «Mobile commerce 2008», the Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation were working on a bill which, probably, would also concern the non-banking operators accepting payments. The bill «On the national payment system» will be presented to the government of the Russian Federation in 2009.
On December 6, 2008, three unknown gunmen attacked the railway station in Smoljaninovo ( Primorye Territory). According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the criminals broke a metal lattice, and got inside the station. Threatening with physical violence to the cashier, the attackers cracked an ATM belonging to Vostokbusinessbank ( Vladivostok).
The affiliated network of Orange, cellular telecom operator in the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, has launched a mobile banking service in cooperation with bank BNP Paribas (France) through its local representative BICICI. This launch was the first scheduled introduction of the platform in the African countries’ markets.
Barack Obama, President of the USA, plans to establish within the structure of the US Administration a new subdivision, which will protect civil, military and state networks from hackers, foreign intelligence services and common swindlers. Formally the new subdivision will coordinate all the activity in the federal and local control bodies involved in protection of the information environment. The congress will most likely support the new Administration’s proposal.
Beginning from January, 2009, Lithuanian citizens will be able to get ID cards of a new standard, allowing identification of their owners in an electronic environment and electronic signatures of documents.
The first in Great Britain plastic ID cards issued in November, 2008, and containing biometric information of their owners, cannot be used by the authorities, because the government still has not produced any scanners.
Precise Biometrics ( Sweden), developer and producer of security systems, announced winning of another order from Swisscom ( Switzerland), one of the leading telecom companies. Within the framework of the contract, Swisscom plans to acquire a new batch of keyboards with built-in fingerprint scanners and the related biometric ID software.
At the Third International Specialized Exhibition «SSE - Terminals. Vending. Kiosks 2008», organized in Moscow by Uniexpo Company (the general information partner of the event was PLUS Journal) Elo TouchSystems Company (USA) presented at its stand a wide range of products. Among them were the newest touch screen solutions, including touch screens, touch screen monitors and touch screen computers currently available in the market.
The First Inter-Regional Conference «Mobile Commerce 2008» was held in the World Trade Centre Moscow, December, 3-4, 2008. The event was organized within the framework of the Mobile Payments Project of Infocommunication Union with support of the Ministry of Communications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation. The status of the information partner was granted to PLUS Journal.
During the round table discussion organized within the framework of the First Inter-Regional Conference «Mobile Commerce 2008», Boris Kim, Chairman of the Committee on Payment Systems and Banking Instruments of NAUET, answered some questions concerning amendments to the Federal law «On payment acceptance activity carried out by payment agents». The Conference was organized in Moscow, December 3-4, 2008, within the framework of the Mobile Payments Project of Infocommunication Union. The status of the information partner was granted to PLUS Journal.
On December 17, 2008, Cisco Company will organize an interactive web-conference in Russian, which will be devoted to Cisco solution for prevention of data leakage.
According to the press-service of PrivatBank ( Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine), on December 3, 2008, four robbers arrived to crack an ATM of the bank in Burshtyn, Ivano-Frankovsk Region ( Ukraine) in Volkswagen Touareg, which costs over 40 thousand euros.
Insurance group «Mezhregiongarant» compensated to LANIT Company for the damage caused to an ATM Diebold Opteva 720 during its loading in a railroad wagon for its subsequent transportation via route Moscow-Bratsk. The insurer compensated for the repair expenses, which amounted to 663 thousand rubles.
According to information from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), an analysis of liquidity of the Ukrainian banking system testifies that the measures taken by NBU to counter the crisis phenomena in the banking system reduced the rates of the daily money outflow from the banks, and ensured solvency and timeliness of settlements in the banking system as a whole.
China Financial Certification Authority (CFCA) published the results of a statistical research devoted to the on-line banking services.
Symantec Company announced publication of its security report MessageLabs Intelligence 2008. The annual report testifies to the fact that 2008 became critical from the point of view of cyber-security, because sophisticated malware and spam methods had their imprint on the shadow economy.
High Court of the Republic of South Africa has sentenced a convicted ATM bomber to 20 years in prison.
One Purse payment service has offered to Internet shops a new way of payment for goods through payment service W1. For this purpose it is necessary to place a html-code of a payment form in a shop’s web-site. Reports are provided on all the orders made by the buyers. Money is deposited without a commission in the account of the Internet-shop in One Purse, or in the settlement account, if a contract is concluded.
In Germany the scandal with the theft of the personal data of the country’s citizens fares up again: a database with personal data of 21 million Germans appeared in the black market of the country.
According to the National Bank of the Republic Kazakhstan, as of November 1, 2008, the banks of Kazakhstan issued 6.9 million debit cards, which is 30.2 % more than in the same period of 2007.
By mid November, 2008, over 50 thousand American cardholders had a credit card debt exceeding 900 US dollars. Many of these debts are impossible to collect due a pitiable economic situation of the debtors, therefore the debts should be written-off or bankruptcy procedures started.
Russia and China are among three countries-leaders by the number of their infected web-sites. According to TrustedSource Company, the share of the USA is 41 % of al the infected web-sites, while the share of China is 12 %, and that of Russia is 7 %.
As the press-service of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine informs, the parliamentary Committee on Tax and Customs Policy recommended parliament to approve in general the bill «On urgent measures to overcome the consequences of the world financial crisis, and amendments to certain laws of Ukraine».
A new stage in development of CONTACT international money transfer and payment system is signified by opening of new client service points in Helsinki, capital of Finland, late in November, 2008.
From December 16, till December 17, 2008, Master-Center «Insurance» will hold in Moscow seminar «Business Block: Banking Insurance in the Conditions of Changing General Economic Situation», the purpose of which is to consider urgent problems of the banking insurance at the present stage of development of the economy, and evaluation of opportunities and prospects for interaction of the banks and insurers.
RUSSLAVBANK has summed up the results of its 18year activity in the banking market.
Dmitry Teplitsky was appointed the first vice-president of the electronic bank payment system HandyBank. Previously he occupied important posts in systems ChronoPay and Yandex. Money, and has rich experience in management of products and projects in the leading companies of electronic payments.
In December, 2008, LEADER money transfer system provided to Muscovites an option to pay penalties for violation of traffic rules through the system’s web-site.
Payment system Portmone.com ( Ukraine) jointly with Kievgaz Company provided to their clients opportunity to pay for the consumed gas via Internet. The service is available to all Visa Inc. cardholders who have concluded a supply contract with Kievgaz.
AIA Agency, independent consulting biometric subdivision of DANCOM Group, specializing in development, optimization, porting, commercializationand examination of mathematical methods and algorithms for recognition of persons and animals, announced the beginning of collection of signatures under a petition to the President of the Russian Federation.
Meir Shitrit, Minister of Internal Affairs of Israel, appealed to Dalia Itsik, speaker of Knesset, and Menahem Sason, Chairman of the Legislature Commission, to adopt before the parliamentary elections the Law on development of biometric passports and an archive of the related data, approved in the first reading on October 29, 2008.
According to Grigory Galitskikh, Vice-president of Probusinessbank, the structures close to Probusinessbank, have acquired over 90 % of shares of Bank24.ru.
IT-experts from BitDefender Company have discovered a new kind of malware – «Trojan.PWS.ChromeInject.A», which steals bank card data from the users of Firefox open browser. For coding of the program the malefactors made a special browser plug-in.
Pavel Tjumentsev from Belarus has developed and promulgated an interesting method to use his mobile telephone as a means of payment.
United Credit Bank ( Baku, Azerbaijan) gives its clients an option to pay for municipal services and telephone accounts in its own ATM network without a commission.
For more Americans who have already maxed out their credit cards or are just trying to manage their spending better in the tough economy, the use of cash is on the rise. Retailers like Walmart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and J.C. Penney Co. are noticing a marked shift away from credit cards in favor of cash and debit cards.
The National Bank of Belarus is working on the project of creation of a uniform payment information environment. The given system is expected to be introduced in 2009.
A bill was presented to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, which includes individual businessmen’s deposits in the Deposit Insurance System (DIS). If the bill is adopted, the state corporations Deposit Insurance Agency(DIA), which guarantees deposits of physical persons to the sum of up to 700 thousand rubles, will have to assume the responsibility for 50 billion rubles more.
Participants of Adam Smith Russian Banking Forum held in London, believe that 20 % of the Russian banks can become victims of the global financial crisis.
Tieto and EMC announced their intention to jointly develop information solutions and services in the European and Russian markets.
Experts from InformZaschita Company have finished auditing of Promsvyazbank’s information system for compliance with the requirements of PCI DSS standards. InformZaschita Company has the status of Qualified Security Assessor, necessary for implementation of such work.
Теchnoserv Russian system integrator, announced opening of its regional office in Armenia. Armen Arakeljan was appointed its Director General.
In November, 2008, the growth of private clients’ deposits in Absolut Bank amounted to 930.8 million rubles. Thus, as of December 1, 2008, the volume of the physical persons’ deposits in Absolut Bank reached 11 billion rubles, which is 9.25 % more than in the previous month.
According to Merrill Lynch, ruble will continue to fall, but already in 2010 it will return to the rate of 25.9 rubles/ $, if the state aid to the economy is efficient enough and oil prices restore.
Information in Internet kiosks can be hacked in just 10 seconds, warns Paul Craig, principal security consultant of Security-assessment.com, a New Zealand-based company. Such kiosks are common in airports, train stations, libraries, hotels, corporate lobbies, and on street corners. But, unfortunately, they are not as hack-proof as one might assume.
In November 2008 ZAO Citibank conducted its second annual Christmas and New Year shopping spend analysis. This year Citibank used innovational and highly unique research methods based on the analysis of the actual monthly expenses of 20,000 card holders and active credit-card users during the end-of-year holiday season since 2005.
Within the framework of the monitoring project «Trust to financial institutions, appeal of the financial instruments: indexes and ratings», the National Agency for Financial Studies (NAFI) presents ratings of reliability and transparency of the financial institutions given by investors and borrowers.
Swiss bank Credit Suisse announced its plans to fire 5300 employees, mostly from its investment-banking sector. This year the bank has already dismissed 1800 persons.
Having received the status of Master Unified Communications Specialization from Cisco, CROC became the first and the only Russian company of the highest competence in the field of unified communications on Cisco platform.
InformZaschita Company Group and OKB SAPR Company, Russian producer of information security hardware, have announced their merger.
As PLUS-daily already informed, on November 26, 2008, the first-ever scientific-industrial enterprise specially designed for production of electronic passports was officially commissioned in Malta.
On December 4, 2008, the European Central Bank and Bank of England considerably lowered their base interest rates, when recent week negative macroeconomic data proved that the economic recession would be deeper and longer, than previously thought, informs Associated Press.
On December 2, 2008, CheckFree, electronic payment service, lost control over two of its domains as a result of an attack undertaken by a well-known criminal group from Eastern Europe.
Anatoly Chubays, Director General of the state corporation Posnano, said that Russia would probably switch to nanochips for bank cards with RFID interactive radio communication, which could make a revolution in the world’s retail business in near future.
INLINE Technologies announced that it had successfully passed the annual procedure of re-certification and confirmation of the status of Gold partner of Cisco Company.
Dialogue Communications, provider of interactive mobile message and billing services, has launched billing WAP-services in Norway and Sweden.
Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, has signed the Decree on additions to the «List of activities, which require special permission (license) and the sum of a State Tax, established for obtaining of a special permission (license) for these kinds of activity», approved by Decree №782 of September 2, 2002, on improvement of the rules of granting of a special permission (license) for certain kinds of activity.
With reference to the press release of Prostobank-Consulting, Interfax Agency informs that Ukrainian mortgage market is practically completely paralyzed. Today credits for purchase of housing in new buildings are not provided by any of the country’s 50 largest banks, whereas acquisition of secondary housing is credited by only 2 banks – an affiliated bank of SBERBANK of Russia and Brokbusinessbank.
A wave of unauthorized microtransactions has recently overflowed the American credit cardholders. Its scale and the reasons behind it are still not identified.
GuardianEdge Company presented in San Francisco a new generation of protection devices for enterprises. The company has modernized a widespread data protection platform GuardianEdge Data Protection Platform by updating of GuardianEdge Hard Disk Encryption and GuardianEdge Removable Storage Encryption, intended for protection of both big and small enterprises.
TietoEnator, a leading IT services company in Northern Europe, launches a new corporate brand Tieto as of 1 December 2008. The new Tieto brand and logo will start to be visible in all Tieto offices around the world from now on. The official registered name of the company, TietoEnator Corporation, will remain unchanged for the time being as the change of the registered company name is subject to a decision by the Annual General Meeting.
In 2009, the Russian insurers may face up to 50 % reduction of the volumes of collected insurance premiums and a similar reduction of the number of players. The companies, which have invested big money in retail, will have to reconsider radically the terms of its recoupment, and those, who specialized exclusively in autoinsurance, will have to think, how to survive.
According to the Federal State Statistics Service(ROSSTAT), in September, the share of SBERBANK of Russia in the total amount of deposits of the physical persons in the Russian banks grew by 1 percentage item, and as of October 1, 2008, amounted to 51 %.
UNIStream, international money transfer system, has signed a partner agreement with Victoriabank S.A. ( Moldova). Under the agreement, the system begins development of a service point network using the bank’s filial network, which comprises 50 branches: 23 out of them are located in Kishinev, and 27 – all over the country.
Sales of consumer goods in 15 states of the Eurozone compared with the past 2007, dropped by 2.1 %. In October, 2008, the sales decreased by 0.8 % in comparison with September. The recession appears to be more serious, than analysts predicted.
The Russian authorities consider feasibility of allocation of 300 billion rubles (equivalent of 10.7 billion US dollars) to ensure state guarantees for the banks’ credits. Alexey Kudrin, Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, announced that at the meeting on economic questions at Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia.
Renaissance Credit and Master-Bank announced beginning of their cooperation. Thus, the clients of Renaissance Credit got another channel for repayment of the bank’s credits.
An employee of Revenue Enterprises ( State of Colorado, USA), who rendered services to the local Children's Hospital, used the data of the credit cards of the hospital’s patients for satisfaction of her personal needs. In particular, she used these data to pay for her trip to Las Vegas.
According to the Ministry of Justice of Japan, in its first year of operation the boundary control biometric system prevented 846 attempts of illegal entry of foreign citizens.
On December 2, 2008, Ehson, online-charity project, was presented in the office of eKarmon Group, Internet payment system ( Uzbekistan).
On December 1, 2008, a solemn ceremony of signing a contract with НР Company on production of biometric ID cards was held in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel. So far НР has the order for manufacture of 5 million passports. The price of each passport for a citizen will be 46 shekels (11.6 US dollars).
In accordance with the official results the winner of the tender for supply of terminal equipment to Alfa-Bank was ARCOM Group, with which the bank signed a corresponding contract.
According to the results of a research done by Chartered Management Institute (CMI), two thirds of the British employers watch their subordinates’ behavior in Internet and block their access to the resources which, in their opinion, have no relation to their work.
The subject of a recent research of TNS Company was the amount of free time which users from different countries devote to Internet.
Georgy Medvedev, Vice-President of the Association of Regional Banks of Russia, when making comments to Samarskaya Gazeta concerning adoption by the State Duma of the Russian Federation of amendments to the law «On Banks and Banking Activity, concerning internal funds of the banks, said, that the amendments should affect positively the situation in the banking market.
On December 1, 2008, the Moscow Bank for Reconstruction and Development renewed provision of mortgage credits within the framework of Optima.RU Program on new terms.
Holders of Renaissance Credit credit cards can now pay with their cards for goods and services unrestricted number of times, and spend up to 2 thousand rubles per one transaction.
On December 1, 2008, operators of the round-the-clock support service of Master-Bank ceased informing its clients on the accessible balance on their electronic cards.
MDM-Bank and URSA Bank announced decision of their shareholders to integrate their shares into a bank holding, which would result in creation of the largest private full service bank in Russia. This integration will ensure for both banks even a more advantageous position for implementation of their long-term development plans.
The next increase of the state deposit guarantees can amount to 300 thousand rubles. As a result, the sum total of the guarantees on bank deposits will reach 1 million rubles. For an estimation of the effect of a possible increase of the deposit insurance, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and DIA have already requested new-form reports from the banks.
Technoserv, Russian system integrator, announced conclusion of a partner agreement with FRSGlobal Company – the leading world’s supplier of solutions in the field of risk management.
NVision Group became the general sponsor of the annual conference Inspire Storage 2008, which Hitachi Data Systems Corporation held on November 20, 2008, for its clients and partners in Moscow.
In the period from December 1, 2008, till January 11, 2009, payment system Visa Inc. undertakes promotion campaign «To any point in the world for 1.5 thousand rubles with Visa card».
As Victoria Smolenskaya, Director of Golden Crown, Russian payment system, said at the scientific-practical conference «Innovative Technologies in Banking Activity» in Omsk, a far-sighted strategy for banks is a mass use of the following bank products …
On December 1, 2008, Swedbank raised the interest rates on «Time», «Rechargeable», «Universal» and «Prestige» deposits. The rates on deposits in rubles were increased by 1 %, in US dollars and euros – by 0.5 %.
Lenovo Company, developer and producer of personal computers, has presented a new technology – Constant Secure Remote Disable (CSRD), which can make the data stored in a lost portable computer inaccessible to strangers.
Now Sky Link’s subscribers can take advantage of SMS banking services of the following banks: Bank Saint Petersburg, Russian Agricultural Bank, Bank Societe Generale Vostok, Expobank, RRDB, NOMOS-BANK, etc.
According to the annual report of the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2009, next year, the global gross national product can shrink by 0.4 %.
The national security service of Morocco began issuing contactless biometric identification smart cards. According to the authorities, this initiative will be helpful in the struggle against terrorism and guarantee observance of «the rights and freedoms of the country’s citizens».
PayPal payment system started testing its new service – PayPal Student Account, which will help parents to regularly allocate pin money for Internet to their children.
As Alexey Kudrin, Vice-Premier, Minister of Finance of the Russian Federation, said at a session of the Presidium of the Government, the Bank of Russia would allocate to the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) 65.9 billion rubles in addition to 200 billion rubles allocated on November 24, 2008, for a readjustment of 10 problem banks.
Bank of Moscow and Visa Inс. undertake a special New Year promotion campaign for Visa cardholders.
Omurzak Tusumov, Chairman of the Committee of Traffic Police (CTP) of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, said during a weekly briefing in the Ministry of the Internal Affairs, that by January 1, 2009, each driver in Kazakhstan will have to acquire inserts to his (her) driver's license, which will also serve as a payment document.
Recon International Publishing House informs its readers that an online access to the information concerning the companies and other structures presented in the annual Russian-English Directory PLUS-Eurasia Buyers Guide 2008–2009 is open in the information portal www.plusworld.ru in section www.plusworld.ru/eurasia.
With nearly 20,000 visitors, CARTES & IDentification has affirmed
its position as a leading global event for smart technologies and
digital security
Starbucks, the largest coffee house network ( Seattle, State of Washington, USA), announced its notebook stolen, which contained private data of almost 100 thousand persons. The leakage of information affects employees of Starbucks, and also of the franchising organizations-partners: the disk of the lost computer stored their names and social insurance numbers.
Nigerian Internet swindlers have managed to modernize their scheme of money withdrawal by means of spam, and have already applied it to PayPal, electronic payment system.
Concern SITRONICS has concluded a credit agreement with Vnesheconombank to the sum of 230 million US dollars, for a period of 12 months with a possibility of its prolongation with consent of the parties.
Surgut Branch of AGROPROMCREDIT Bank has issued over 13 000 cards.
Experts from Sophos Company managed to intercept electronic letters, which swindlers send to British citizens on behalf of their Government and the Board of Exchequer.
The state corporation Deposit Insurance Agency (DIА) informs the depositors of Bank Electronika about a transfer of the bank’s liabilities to the physical persons under the contracts of the bank deposits and the bank accounts to the National Reserve Bank (NRB).
On December 1, 2008, Anatoly Aksakov, President of the Association of Regional Banks, made a presentation in London, at a plenary session of the traditional annual forum «Russian Banking Sector», organized by Adam Smith Institute.
On November 20, 2008, Volga-Vyatka Branch of SBERBANKof Russia held a seminar-meeting «Development of Trading Acquiring». One of the reports was dedicated to the preliminary results of 2008. Special attention was devoted to exchange of successful experience in development of trade acquiring.
Promsvyazbank has received a license for a direct trade acquiring of Visa Inc. cards, due to which the bank can now independently serve the cards of this payment system in its own terminals located in trade-service enterprises.
Smart CCTV Ltd. has installed Perceptrak, its new smart video observation system, in Portsmouth ( Great Britain).
IKEA develops credit programs in its stores. Credit Europe Bank will be a new service provider of consumer crediting in the Russian stores of IKEA.
According to the results of another sociological research done by Unisys Company, 50 % of New Zealanders are extremely concerned about the way the security of their financial transactions is organized. On this background the consumers’ aspiration to the use of biometric technologies, which respondents consider much more reliable compared with passwords and PIN codes, is getting stronger. As a whole, 97 % of the polled New Zealanders are in favor of supplementing of passwords and PIN codes with biometric technologies.
Deposit Insurance Agency (DIА) has published the updated information on the banks to be subjected to readjustment.
In 10 months of 2008, the deposit portfolio of Parabank ( Baku, Azerbaijan) increased by 85.4 % and, as of November 1, 2008, reached the level of 34.2 million manats (about 8.5 million US dollars).
Dr. Web Company warns about a substantially growing wave of new viruses, which are disseminated through detachable devices (USB Flash Drive, CD/DVD, external hard disks, etc.). This nocuous object dubbed in Dr. Web’s classification as «Win32. HLLW.Autoruner» was created in AutoIt programming language. At that, methods of meshing of script codes are applied with their functionality preserved in order to complicate their analysis.
Banks of Estonia raise the risk ratings of enterprises, therefore credits for the corporate sector in the country’s market become more expensive, even on the background of the falling Euribor rate.
Representatives of the People's Bank of China (PBC) and the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China held a press conference during which they informed representatives of mass-media about their plans to counter the illegal operations with bank cards in Internet.
PLUS Journal announces expansion of its PLUS-daily on-line news project in the information portal www.plusworld.ru (its English language version is www.plusworld.org). Now we publish news at the moment when events are still happening!
According to unconfirmed information, Citigroup has decided to sell a part of its assets in Japan.
Volga-Vyatka Branchof SBERBANK of Russia has started issuing credit cards. First the bank will provide credit cards only to the participants of its salary projects, the holders of the bank’s salary cards with 6 month experience.
According to the National Bureau of Credit Histories (NBCH), the number of the banks’ requests for credit histories has halved. Thus, if in September, 2008, the Russian banks requested credit histories 1.98 million times, in October this number decreased to 1.104 millions. This testifies to a shrinking volume of crediting.
In the period of November, 1- 25, 2008, the net outflow of deposits from the Russian banking system lessened, and did not exceed 0.5 %. The parameter appeared to be considerably less than in October, when the outflow from the domestic credit and financial establishments was in the country on average equal to 6 % of private persons’ deposits, or 300-350 billion rubles. Citizens withdrew from their accounts mostly rubles and because of fears of a possible devaluation of the national currency, converted them into dollars and euros. At that, practically nobody opened new accounts.
Nokia Company officially announced that the contract on purchase of Symbian, British producer of mobile software, to the sum of 264 million euros will be concluded before the end of 2008.
Within the framework of the collective policy aimed to counter the cyber crimes the EU countries intend to create a Common Cyber Attack Alarm System. Europol, global European police, will receive about 300 thousand euros for development of Internet crime information system.
ING Group Bank ( Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and MasterCard Worldwide plan to undertake testing of mobile payments in Romania. Nokia 6212 mobile phones with NFC technology will be distributed among 500 consumers, who at the first stage of tests will be able to make payments in 30 shops in Bucharest.
Diebold Company and Golden Crown have developed a technical solution, which will allow Diebold ATMs to accept cash for a currency exchange purpose in Golden Crown system.
On December 1, 2008, SBERBANK of Russia raised the deposit rates for physical persons and saving certificates in rubles by 1.0 – 2.5 percentage points, and, depending on a period and size of an initial deposit, established new interest rates for a number of deposits.
Alfa-Bank announced acquisition of controlling block of shares of the Ural bank Severnaya Kazna.
State corporation Deposit Insurance Agency(DIA) informed that Bank Nizhny Novgorod and Promsvyazbank had signed a general agreement, stipulating the procedure and terms of the parties’ interaction aimed to prevent the bank’s bankruptcy.
GartnerInc. has placed EMC Corporation in the «Leaders» quadrantof Magic Quadrant rating (graphic presentation of the market in a certain moment or in a certain period of time) in the field of «Medium class storage systems».
Symantec Company together with Technoserv, the largest Russian system integrator, held a seminar dedicated to the problems of protection of payment systems and support for PCI requirements.
The volume of credits provided to small and medium enterprises by Promsvyazbank in 2008 amounted to 18.7 billion rubles. In 2009 the bank intends to increase its portfolio by 80 %. The bank has already provided 6 thousand credits to small and medium enterprises.
Raiffeisenbank has introduced new functionalities in Raiffeisen Connect Internet banking system.
ChronoPay Company and Planet3, affiliated company of the Russian service provider i-Free, have signed an agreement on strategic partnership. Thus, the Internet dealers-clients of ChronoPay will be able to accept for payment not only credit cards and e-cash, but also SMS payments. At the same time, clients of Planet3 can work with bank cards.
Members of a criminal group stealing money from credit lines secured on real estate (HELOC) were detained the USA.
Jose Manuel Barroso, head of Eurocommission, has suggested forming «a humanitarian rescue package» for poor countries in the conditions of the financial crisis.
Heads of the European telecommunication departments supported plans to lower the prices for mobile phone calls from abroad.
The state corporation Deposit Insurance Agency(DIA) announced that on November 24, 2008, a general agreement was signed between DIA, Bashinvestbank and BINBANK. The document defined the procedure and terms of parties’ interaction for prevention of Bashinvestbank’s bankruptcy.
At a meeting with journalists in Rostov-on-Don, Herman Gref, Chairman of the Board of SBERBANK of Russia, said that the bank would consider a possibility to delay payments of credits for the citizens who had lost their jobs. «We are thinking about this now. A decision is necessary, and I believe that in near future we shall prepare it», he said.
The Russian mass-media informed about arrest of a university student accused of selling malware intended for stealing of money resources from WebMoney. The 20-year old hacker, who developed the nocuous code, managed to sell over 50 copies of the program.
The Fifth International forum on banking information technologies Bank IT ’ 08was heldin the Palace of the Republic, Minsk, November 26 - 27, 2008. It was organized by the National Bank of Belarus, Infopark Scientific-Technological Association, and the Association of the Belarussian Banks. The status of the information partner was granted to PLUS Journal.
On November 1, 2008, the project on introduction of Diasoft FA# solutions for automation of the head office and branches of RegionInvestBank came to the end.
The Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia has decided to increase on December 1, 2008, the annual refinancing and interest rates on the transactions of the Bank of Russia from 12 % up to 13 %.
Registration of cyrillic domains in «.рф» zone will be possible for regular users by the end of 2009.
Allianz Insurance Group has carried out the second international research of people’s confidence in the future. The research focused on studying of the citizens’ behavior in a situation of financial crisis, was done in October – November, 2008, in nine countries of the world: Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Greece, Russia, USA, France and Switzerland.
By the beginning of 2009 Afisha web-portal intends to start online sale of cinema tickets, one of the first in Runet. Other market participants also develop interest in electronic cinema ticket sales.
Before the end of 2008, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation plans to present to the government of the Russian Federation a bill of bankruptcy of physical persons. The bill offers to the citizens, unable to pay off their debts, a procedure of bankruptcy, allowing them to pay their debts in installments in a period up to five years.
According to British The Times, in November, Abbey National Bank belonging to Spanish Santander, raised the rate on some cards from 16.9 % up to 19.9 %. This week HBOS increased the money transfer commission from 3 % up to 3.5 %.
Nokia announced termination of sales of its mobile phones in Japan, except for Vertu brand. The decision was taken, when the company failed to occupy any serious position in that market.
The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus approved the president’s decree, which fully guarantees compensations for deposits in the Belarus banks.
The member states of the international organization ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas) agreed to create a uniform currency zone.
Trend Micro Company got in Great Britain a CRN (Computer Reseller News) Award «Provider of Security Services of the Year», one of the most prestigious awards in the sector.
Dr. Web Company informed about an epidemic of post viruses. Despite the decreasing total volume of spam in recent weeks due to termination of the activity of big spam-hosters, the malefactors find new ways to distribute malware by means of post spam dispatches.
In November, 2008, LANIT Department of Banking Technologies developed LanStream software. The solution allows to integrate DIEBOLD self-service banking terminals into AnyWay system from FinStream Company, specializing in development of software for automation of the banking activity.
Bank «Renaissance Credit» has introduced ABS Profile and TouchPoint front-office solution, developed by the processing company Fidelity National Information Services (FIS).
Certificate «Compatible! Program system 1С:Enterprise» has been issued for Inpas Pulsar System, hardware-software complex manufactured by INPAS Company and presented for certification as trading equipment in the Systems Acquiring category.
According to the news published today on the website of the Ukranian Internet edition of MIGnews.com.ua, «90 % of the terminals in the largest specialized shops in Kiev do not accept credit cards – payments for the purchased goods are demanded exclusively in cash!». That means that even the trading network’s confidence in the banks’ payment capacity has already reached a critical point. But it is the consumers who suffer most as a result, because today it is impossible for them not only to withdraw their money from their card accounts, but also to make payments with their cards (although, as is known, many people get their salaries charged to their credit cards).
Aflex software, the official representative of SteelEye Company in Russia and the CIS (producer of software for construction of cluster systems of high availability and replication data), announced termination of delivery of SteelEye LifeKeeper solution to the address of MultiCarta processing company.
The police of Texas (USA) suspects Cora Dixon, former petty officer, of swindle with illegal use of other people’s IDs. According to the law enforcement bodies, Dickson used her position for theft of information, manufacture of counterfeit banking checks and ID-cards. Dickson had a completely legal access to confidential data, since they were required for her basic work. All in all, she had stolen confidential information of 8 thousand servicemen of the US Navy.
On November 26, 2008, the world’s first specialized factory for manufacture of biometric passports was commissioned in Malta. Investments into the project amounted to 6 million euros.
According to newspaper Handelsblad ( Netherlands), already in near future the chips of the country citizens’ electronic passports will contain data on their fingerprints. The government of the Netherlands plans to accumulate this information in a centralized database. Such measures will allow the police to facilitate investigations and identification of emergencies’ victims.
Money transfer systems WebMoney Transfer and UNIStream have successfully launched a project of integration in the sphere of electronic payments. As a result, now the holders of electronic purses of WebMoney system can replenish them by means of UNIStream system, and also take their money from WebMoney Transfer account in UNIStream point. Movement of money is done in an on-line mode.
Hypercom Corporation will supply POS terminals Optimum T4200, accepting contactless payments, within the framework of a pilot project implemented in Australia on the basis of NFC technology.
Unibank ( Baku, Azerbaijan) got the status of acquirer of MasterCard Worldwide payment system. The bank intends to service both magnetic and chip cards of this system.
Payment system Telcell ( Armenia) has finished implementation of the project «Payment for municipal services in few minutes». Now its users can pay for municipal services to companies Electric Network of Armenia and ArmenTel through self-service terminals, any time, in any of over 365 payment acceptance points located in Yerevan and other cities of the Republic.
According to report of IDC Russia Business Solutions and Infrastructure Management Services 2008-2012 Forecast and 2007 Vendor Shares, Technoserv Company is the leader of the market of solution development services.
A rather peculiar leak of information occurred in the State of Massachusetts (USA). Francis Janosko managed to steal information while serving time in a local prison. The cells of his prison are equipped with computers «for studying of various legal questions».
As a result of a restructuring in holding ITG (INLINE Technologies Group), PST Company was strengthened with a service subdivision of the Department of Self-Service Systems of INPAS Company. The given subdivision specializes in the questions of maintenance service of ATMs and information-payment terminals in all the territory of the Russian Federation.
The Eurocommission has presented a plan for stimulation of the EU economy, envisaging financial injections at a rate of 200 billion euros. This sum is equal to 1.5 % of the total gross national product of the EU countries. As expected, these measures will help to save millions of jobs.
When about 2 weeks ago the notorious hosting company McColo was disconnected from the network, the volume of spam in the world was reduced by two thirds. Presumably, the company was involved in hosting for botnet groups. However, just as experts predicted, this measure did not help for long.
SBERBANK of Russia has published information on the results of its financial activity in 10 months of 2008 by Russian accounting standards.
GuestLogix Company ( Canada) presented a new mobile POS terminal OnBoard PowerSeller 2 supporting microprocessor plastic cards, which require a PIN code for a payment authorization. Terminal OnBoard PowerSeller 2 is integrated with the mobile sale system GuestLogix Mobile Virtual Store, installed in planes, trains and ferries, and interacts with it via wireless Wi-Fi network.
International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) has launched a new service – «Electron Deposit».
Vozrozhdenie Bank has published its financial statements for 9 months of 2008, prepared in accordance with the international accounting standards.
Deposit Insurance Agency(DIA) begins to pay insurance compensations to the depositors of MSB Bank, Mira-Bank and Econatsbank. Compensations for the accounts will be paid to each depositor at the rate of 100 % of the whole sum of the bank accounts, but no more than 700 thousand rubles in aggregate. For the bank accounts in foreign currencies insurance indemnity will be paid in rubles at the rate of the Bank of Russia as of November 12, 2008. The sums not compensated by the insurance, will be paid off during liquidation of the bank.
OTP Bank ( Ukraine) has introduced a system of remote servicing of physical persons – OTPdirekt, which allows the bank customers to operate efficiently their accounts, any time convenient for them and from any point of the world, saving thus up to 50 % on the transfer commissions.
On December 2, 2008, in Hyatt Regency Hotel, company SilverKey Technologies-Azerbaijan, representing the American company SilverKey Technologies in Azerbaijan, will present GoldenPay, the first in Azerbaijan system of Internet payments.
Ministry of Communications and Transport of Ukraine plans to introduce the system of a single electronic ticket for all kinds of transport, before the end of 2009.
According to Anti-Phishing Alliance of China (APAC), by the beginning of the 4th quarter of 2008, 300 domain names belonging to phishing sites were abolished in «.CN», Chinese national Internet segment.
BТА Bank and CFT Company have signed an agreement on expansion of their cooperation in the field of automation of various spheres of the bank’s business on the basis of CFT solutions. In accordance with the signed document, the present functionality of CFT-Bank system (Oracle-based development platform) will be expanded. Besides, systems CFT-Budget Planning and CFT-Administrative Accounting will be introduced in the bank.
In addition to the Front Office Solutions for Retail Banking, modular front solutions issued for the retail banks in November, 2007, companies Cisco and IBM have presented two new solutions, which will expand the functionality of the banking service. These solutions will help the retail banks to use their experts more efficiently for a direct dialogue with their clients, irrespective of their location and channels of communication: phone, Internet, video tramsmission or telepresence, etc.
In November, 2008, INPAS Company jointly with the Commercial Bank of Economic Development «Bank of Kazan» implemented the project on installation of an automated pavilion for 2 devices (an ATM and a terminal) in the territory of Kazan.
Trend Micro Company announced a new system for encoding of e-mail – Trend Micro Email Encryption Gateway 5.0., intended for medium and big business and allowing to encode e-mail in an Internet gateway.
I-Teco Company once again confirmed the status of Cisco Gold Certified Partner in Russia and other CIS countries. The highest partner status testifies to I-Teco’s significant achievements and high level of expertise in the field of promotion, introduction and support of Cisco solutions.
The above statement is proved by the results of evaluation of the economic mood indexes in big and medium cities done by the Strategic Research Center of Rosgosstrakh in October-November, 2008.
During the SCR – 2008 exhibition held in Moscow, November 18-19, 2008, Artem Каzarian, Head of Sales Department of PSTCompany, presented report «Multivendor after-sales service of a bank’s acquiring network». The topic of the report was not selected by chance, since due to the situation evolving in the financial market the banks face an acute question of optimization of their costs and hence of the structure of their service subdivisions.
Credit cards are the banks’ most profitable products. However, lawyers say that by raising the prices of the credits that have already been provided to the borrowers, the bankers risk to face judicial claims from their clients. Nevertheless, the banks still raise the interest rates on the provided card credits.
Intersectoral Forum of Information Security Directors, organized by Infor-media Russia Company, was held in Moscow, November 17-18, 2008. The general sponsor of the event was LETA Company, its platinum sponsor was Symantec, and its special sponsor – ESET. The status of the general mediapartner was granted to PLUS Journal.
The government of the USA announced allocation of additional 800 billion dollars for support of the national economy.
Multiregional TransitTelecom (МТТ), Russian long-distance and international telecom operator, and Delta Pay, payment system, have reached an agreement on acceptance of payments from the physical persons – МТТ subscribers.
Next year a new mortgage crediting scheme will appear in the Russian market. VTB24 intends to suggest to citizens to accumulate their initial mortgage contributions on the bank deposit accounts and receive a part of their mortgage credits with a reduced interest rate.
In the State Border Committee of Belarus, Major General Igor Rachkovsky, Head of the Committee, met Chu Кu Kho, Immigration Service Commissioner of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea.
The volume of the credits provided by Vozrozhdenie Bank to corporate clients in September – November, 2008, amounted almost to 60 billion rubles.
According to estimates of Symantec Company, this year, the Internet swindlers, specializing in various bank card operations will make 5.3 billion US dollars. This figure has been obtained due to extrapolation of the data on the number of the issued bank cards and the fraud volumes in concrete spheres of Internet.
«Finance and Credit» Bank (Kiev, Ukraine), representing its own money transfer system AVERS, and Golden Crown – Money Transfer System have started implementation of a partner agreement envisaging integration of the two systems in the field of acceptance and delivery of money transfers in the territories of Ukraine and Russia. The first transaction within the framework of the agreement was made on November 20, 2008.
In his address to the parliament concerning the plan to overcome the economic crisis in the country, Alastair Darling, Chancellor of the Exchequer of Great Britain, said that the world had not seen such instability in many decades.
IBM Company announced the beginning of work on a computer working by the principle of a human brain.
Home Credit Bank was granted the status of a principle member of Visa Inc.
The Novosibirsk branch of Absolut Bank has concluded a contract with Sibirsky Bereg Company on transfer of its employees’ salaries to plastic cards. In accordance with the contract, Absolut Bank will transfer the salaries of the company’s employees to plastic cards Visa Electron or Visa Gold. For the employees of Sibirsky Bereg Company the plastic cards will be issued and serviced free of charge. The salary project embraces all the company’s branch network, including also Vladivostok, Ekaterinburg, Nizhni Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Samara etc.
VympelCom Company and Mobile Discount Systems (MDS), developer of mobile technologies for business, announced an additional option within the framework of the project mobiticket.ru, owing to which Beeline subscribers can pay for their electronic railway tickets with the use of mobile phones.
Eurasian Bank ( Almaty, Kazakhstan) launches a new product – payment card Visa Int. for children. The Card for Children is a chip debit card Visa Electron for holders within the age bracket of 6 - 18.
Reg Varney, the comic actor, who played the cheerful bus driver in the British TV comedy «On the Buses», died on November 16, 2008, at the age of 92.
PayPal, Internet payment service, has presented a new extension of the security system for the owners of iPhone smartphones. The new PayPal SMS Security Key service allows the users by means of a mobile phone to get a special 6-digit security code, which a user should enter in order to get access to his (her) account. According to the company, for higher security purpose the system generates a code every 30 seconds, while the users have to enter a code right after their login and password.
Four points of automatic immigration control will operate in the International Airport of Bahrain. This project is being implemented under the guidance of the General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence (GDNPR).
Vasily Vdonin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tarkhany Regional Bank ( Penza), informed that the bank can be incorporated into the structure of the Russian Agricultural Bank before the end of 2008. According to V. Vdonin, the negotiations can come to the end successfully already in the coming few days.
The banks will increase the volumes of financing of small business enterprises due to public funds. The small business will get rates not above 11 %, while the banks will get state guarantees.
Today's financial crisis is a fait accompli, and now the situation is sliding from a financial crisis into an economic one. In the opinion of Anatoly Aksakov, President of the Association of Regional Banks of Russia, the real problems are still ahead.
Within the framework of the Eleventh Moscow international forum on payment cards in Russia and the Thirteenth international conference and exhibition «Smart Cards of Russia-2008», Konstantin Slashchev, Director General of NCR Company, subdivision of NCR Corporation in Russia, met representatives of specialized banking and business publications.
TietoEnator and its long-term regional partner Data Edge Limited have provided Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited (DBBL) with the Card Suite solution for issuing and acquiring payment cards.
NVision Group announced the results of its work in the field of information security and opening of new competences intended for the organizations of a financial-credit sector.
PeakSystems ATM Station product from PeakSystemsCompany intended for self-service devices and allowing to carry out financial and administrative operations, has passed certification in EMV Co for compliance with the EMV requirements.
The Central Bank of the Russian Federation has issued an order on readiness of GENBANK for participation in Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system. In near future the bank will be able to do clients’ settlement operations in real-time. Now the concluding measures are taken for the bank to join RTGS system.
By Russian standards accounting system, as of November 1, 2008, the balance profit of the Bank of Moscow was equal to 6.4 billion rubles, and its net profit – 4.6 billion rubles. Since the beginning of 2008, the bank’s own capital calculated in accordance with the methods of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation has increased by 22 % – up to 75.8 billion rubles.
State corporation Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) informs, that recently it has revealed numerous cases, when credit organizations, shortly before their licenses were recalled by the Bank of Russia, made illegal banking transactions for an artificial formation of «contributions» to the accounts of the physical persons in order to get (or increase) their insurance compensations.
On October 31, 2008, the 15-th anniversary Moscow international exhibition «Autocomplex -2008» (Refueling complex, Autoservice, Garage and Parking) finished its work. PLUS Journal had the status of the official mediapartner of the event.
United Card Service Company (UCS) continues to expand its programs of attraction and servicing of trade acquiring agent banks.
Krasnoyarsk Drama Theatre named after A.S. Pushkin and PlateZHKa, operator of a payment terminal network ( Krasnoyarsk), launched a pilot project within the framework of the program of their cooperation. Thus, tickets for any theatre performance can be obtained in 180 of 540 terminals of PlateZHKa city network without any commission.
SITRONICS Information Technologies, system integrator, has concluded a sublicensing contract with Perimetrix Company, Russian developer of means of protection of confidential information. According to the terms of the signed agreement, SITRONICS Information Technologies gets the right on distribution of software and provision of technical support services of Perimetrix.
The number of cards issued by the Northern Bank of SBERBANK of Russia has exceeded 1 million. The holder of the anniversary card of the Northern Bank of SBERBANK of Russia is Sergey Smerdin from Cherepovets, who got his bank card within the framework of a salary project.
BINBANK has acquired 76 % of shares of Bashinvestbank. The arrangement on the transaction was reached on November 21, 2008, with support of the Central bank of the Russian Federation, National Bank of Bashkiria and Deposit Insurance Agency(DIA).
KD Avia ( Kaliningrad) offers electronic tickets through Unikassa universal payment terminal system (St.-Petersburg). Tickets can be reserved by a special phone in the Contact Center or through the reservation service on the airline’ website.
CROC Company announced a new utility program aimed to solve acute business problems in the conditions of a crisis.
INPAS Company was one of the general sponsors of the 11th Moscow international forum on plastic cards and the 13th international conference and exhibition «Smart Cards of Russia – 2008», which was held in Moscow Hotel Cosmos, November 18-19, 2008.
AC&MConsulting, analytical company, has published the data concerning the subscribers' base of cellular telecom operators for October, 2008.
According to Bloomberg with reference to CTPartners, recruiting company, the number of jobs in the financial sector, reduced due to the financial crisis worldwide, can be doubled by mid 2009 and reach 350 thousands. So far, the banks, broker companies and funds have fired about 170 thousand employees.
Because of the maximal splash of the annual virus activity expected today, Trend Micro analysts recommend Internet users to be especially cautious.
Bank of Khanty-Mansiysk has opened another branch in the Town of Salym, Neftejugansk Disrict. The new, additional office will provide all the range of banking services from account transactions, crediting of legal and physical persons, up to cash-accounting service. Besides, for convenience of the population three ATMs have already been installed in town. The total service network of Nefteyugansk branch comprises 5 additional offices, 45 АТМs and 6 information-payment kiosks.
According to Marina Gridneva, official representative of the Office of Public Prosecutor of the Russian Federation, her department keeps track of the information, which destabilizes the work of banks and other financial institutions, in the Russian mass-media.
According to the forecasts of experts from the analytical company Forrester Research, in 2008, the turnover of electronic commerce will reach 44 billion US dollars.
NCR Corporation published the financial results of its activity in the third quarter of 2008. The company’s income reached 1.38 billion US dollars, which is 8 % more than in the same period of 2007. Its net profit by GAAP standard amounted to 82 million US dollars, or 0.49 dollars per one share, while in the third quarter of 2007 it was 33 million US dollars, or 0.18 dollars per one share. The non-GAAP net profit from the current transactions in the third quarter of 2008 was 0.55 US dollars per one share, compared with 0.39 dollars per one share in the same period of 2007.
The association of GSM operators calls upon the manufacturers to equip all their new models of phones with NFC technology by mid 2009.
According to the results of a regular sociological research – Security Index, done by Unisys Company, British consumers welcome application of biometric ID technologies.
UNICORBANK plans to introduce ECASH technology of electronic payments (see details in PLUS-daily of 7.10.08) in all its branches before the end of February, 2009. The given service allows a remote control over the bank accounts via Internet and mobile phones.
PayPal, one of the world’s largest payment systems, plans to offer credits for purchasing of goods during Christmas sales. On November 21, 2008, PayPal began testing the new service, which made credit lines available to several thousands of the most active users.
Home Credit Bank announced the financial results of its activity in 9 months of 2008 calculated in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Its net profit volume increased by 156 %, up to 2.344 billion rubles, in comparison with the similar period in 2007 (915 million rubles). Its net interest income amounted to 14.099 billion rubles (in 9 months of 2007 – 8.971 billion rubles).
On December 1, 2008, AVANGARD Bankwill raise its annual ruble credit card rate from 12 % up to 17 %. This measure is caused by the growing cost of the involved resources and higher refinancing rate of the Central Bank. The 50-day interest-free period is preserved. The ruble credit cardholders are offered free of charge credit cards of the same category in dollars or euros (at their choice). The ruble debts will be transferred to their new cards at the rate of the Central Bank without any commission.
Bank Imperia jointly with MasterCard Worldwide, international payment system, and UEFA, European football association, issued bank card MasterCard UEFA Champions League.
On August 25, 2008, INPAS Company and Far Eastern Bank signed a contract on delivery of self-service payment terminals.
Due to a substantial growth of the work connected with restructuring and rehabilitation of the problem banks, Board of DIA Directors decided to establish a new subdivision in the Agency’s structure – an expert-analytical department.
On June 30, 2009, Microsoft will terminate a paid subscription to OneCare anti-virus service, and issue a free-of-charge antivirus Morro, instead.
Mobile TeleSystems Company (MTS) announced that the consolidated number of the company’s subscribers as of October 31, 2008, was 88.47 million users. In October, 2008, alone, the consolidated user's base of MTS increased by 0.9 million users, out of which the share of MTS Russia was 0.48 million new connections.
According to IDC forecasts, the crisis will have a considerable impact on IT budgets of EMEA countries. However, in Russia the IT market will rehabilitate itself more quickly, than in the countries of Western Europe. IDC Company has recently reviewed its forecast concerning the dynamics of IT expenditure in 2009 in EMEA Region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), which also includes Russia. The world financial crisis has forced analysts to lower the expected IT market growth rates of the EMEA countries for the next year from 4.5 % down to 3 %.
In its annual report to the Congress, the US Congress Commission on American-Chinese Relations in the Sphere of Economy and Security, warns that China intensifies its computer espionage against the US government and American companies, and gains a growing access to secret information through the American computer networks. The document also states that the Peoples’ Republic of China aggressively uses cyber methods in order to achieve superiority over the USA in any conflict.
The government of India has launched a new scheme of health services for the 60 million citizens living below the poverty line. Each such family will get a card, which provides a medical insurance within the limits of 800 US dollars a year.
Euroset’s branch in Kirghizia and Amanbank ( Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) have concluded a general cooperation agreement. Before the end of 2008, Euroset stores will offer to the population financial service points, where any buyer could prepare a credit application, make a deposit or money transfer, cash account or replenish account using a plastic card.
Forte Netservices Company ( Finland), specializing in provision of IT outsourcing services, has opened its office in Moscow. Before that the company was presented in the Russian market through a partner network. Forte hopes that in the conditions of the crisis, outsourcing in the IT sphere will be in great demand.
Within the framework of ENEY-3 project of international technical aid, the realization of which will begin in 2009, Belarus plans to create a dactyloscopy system on its border. According to Jury Fedorov, Head of Department of International Cooperation of the State Border Committee of Belarus, the Belarus system will be similar to European EURODAC system applied for taking of fingerprints of persons, who seek asylum in Europe. European Commission has already given its preliminary approval for financing of the project, and it will be implemented jointly with UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration.
Alfa-Bank jointly with Visa Inc. international payment system has summed up the results of «Visais more, than a salary card» promotion campaign, which was undertaken in the period July 1 - September 30, 2008. All the clients receiving their wages within the Alfa-Bank’s salary project could participate in it.
On November 19, 2008, FAST MAIL money transfer system became 5 years old.
According to SBERBANK of the Russian Federation, on November 24, 2008, from 02:00 till 02:10, Moscow time, technological works will be undertaken in the bank’s technical complex.
According to Interactive Research Group (IRG), the number of Citibank’s clients, who use remote access for payment of municipal services, increases every month, on average by 13 %. In 10 months of 2008, the given parameter has almost tripled.
Russian Utilities, provider of housing and communal services, has signed an agreement with Free Cash, payment operator, on cooperation in the questions of billing. For Russian Utilities it is important to expand their network of acceptance points and to use the potential of modern Internet payment systems, operating through electronic terminals.
Levoberezhny Bank has installed Express-Service subsystem, a part of the CFT-Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform). The new solution will allow the bank to speed up considerably the servicing of corporate clients due to automation of the most frequent actions of operators and cashiers.
On November 6, 2008, the Board of the National Association of Participants of Electronic Trade (NAPET) formed in the structure of the Association a committee on electronic tickets. The sphere of competence of the committee includes legislative, technological and practical questions of application of electronic ticket technologies in railway, automobile and air transport, and in cultural-entertainment establishments.
Since the beginning of 2008, the users of Telcell payment terminals ( Armenia) have made over 1 million payments for the services of VivaCell-MTS, the leading Armenian cellular telecom operator and affiliated company of MTS.
Biometric scanning systems penetrate actively the market of storage and protection of personal information. Notebooks, mobile phones, storage and other personal devices more and more often use biometric sensors to ensure additional level of data access security.
On November 15, 2008, an ATM installed on the ground floor of the office building in Republic St. and belonging to a local bank, caught fire. According to the Administration of the Ministry of the Emergency Situations of Russia in Tyumen Region, the fire was caused by a short circuit.
Within the framework of the conference and exhibition «Smart Cards of Russia-2008» (SCR-2008), held in Moscow, November 18-19, 2008, Diebold Company presented two new solutions: software Campaign Office and terminal Opteva 328 with a cash-recycling function.
Huge sums of money allocated for stabilization of the financial system, do not reach the regions, and are misappropriated by big players of a federal scale. Thus thousands of Russian businessmen engaged in small and medium business have not received any federal aid.
A lot of unresolved problems, including problems of a criminal character, have accumulated in the sphere of consumer crediting, especially in several recent years, characterized by its very high development rates (over 100 % in certain years).
In October, 2008, consumer prices in the USA dropped by a record value of 1 %, in comparison with the previous month.
SAS Russia/CIS Company has summed up the results of the Third international forum SAS FORUM RUSSIA 2008, held on October 27, 2008, in Moscow. A partner of Russia/CIS in the given event was SAS Teradata Company, its general sponsor was SUN Microsystems Company, the sections’ sponsors were companies Neoflex, Business&Decisions, GlowByte, Irbicon and AT Consulting. The status of the official mediapartner was granted to PLUS Journal.
On November 18, 2008, the first tranche of the stabilization credit from the Russian Federation - 1 billion US dollars, came to the account of the Ministry of Finance in the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.
The Federal Reserve System of the USA has sharply lowered its forecast for development of the American economy. For the first time in 5 years the Dow Jones Index dropped below 8 000 points.
According to Sergey Ignatyev, Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, as of November 1, 2008, the volume of the gold and currency reserves of the Russian Federation was equal to 484.6 billion US dollars. He also said that in September-October of the current year the Bank of Russia allocated 57.5 billion dollars for support of the ruble exchange rate.
In the conditions of a crisis any legislative defect or a strategic mistake in the field of regulation of the insurance market is a more painful blow to the sector’s participants than in usual conditions. Several recent insurance forums and conferences have demonstrated serious concern of the insurance community about the indistinct position of the authorities on the given question.
On November 27, 2008, Decision Analytics, a structural subdivision of Experian Company, will hold the fifth annual seminar on credit risk management in Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow. Since the first seminar of the company in 2004, it has become a key event for risk-managers and experts in counteraction to fraud in Russia and CIS.
Trend Micro Inc. announced a new version of Worry-Free Business Security solution focused on small companies, interested in integrated mechanisms of automatic protection against constantly arising threats, with minimal service requirements.
According to Ben Shalom Bernanke, Chairman of the Board of the US Federal Reserve System (FRS), despite certain tension, the situation on the credit markets has improved due to the government’s actions.
Taobao.Com, Chinese on-line trading platform, is going to expand its clientele with a network of independent trading terminals.
NVision Group announced that it had acquired the status of Qualified Security Assessors (QSA) and would begin to provide certified audit services for compliance of information systems with PCI DSS, international standard of information security in payment card industry.
HP Company announced a new product – StorageWorks SAN Virtualization Services Platform (HPSVSP) intended for virtualization of data storage systems. The new solution allows to raise an overall performance and to simplify production processes of enterprises, simultaneously reducing the total operation costs of Storage Area Network infrastructure.
R-Style Softlab Company offers a new version of RS-Bank integrated banking system focused on the needs of credit institutions of SME segment (small and medium enterprises). The complete solution based on a new distributive principle is universal for a comprehensive automation of the financial activities. The system’s version 5.5 will allow all the bank’s employees to work in a single information environment.
On November 18, 2008, BINBANK launched its new Universal Card, which combines the advantages and functionalities of the bank’s Profitable and Credit cards. A Universal Card account can be opened in one of the three currencies: rubles, US dollars or euros.
The volume of money transfers to Moldova from physical persons abroad through commercial banks in January-September, 2008, exceeded 1.259 billion US dollars, which is 49.5 % more than in the same period of 2007. According to the National bank of Moldova (Banca Naţionalaa Moldovei), the share of fast transfers in the total amount of transfers is over 993.45 million dollars (78.8 %).
In recent weeks PLUS has published a number of articles reflecting various experts’ views on the reasons and consequences of the world economic crisis. Today we present one of the most competent and interesting analytical publications on this theme by Maxim Pravdin, Doctor of Economics.
In recent weeks PLUS has published a number of articles reflecting various experts’ views on the reasons and consequences of the world economic crisis. Today we present one of the most competent and interesting analytical publications on this theme by Maxim Pravdin, Doctor of Economics.
As PLUS-daily informed on November 12, 2008, the Federal Antimonopoly Service has elaborated a draft decision on the admissible terms of agreements between insurers and banks, and presented it to the government.
According to Alexander Kuptsikevich, FxPro financial analyst, at the moment, statements of the Russian and foreign officials have a very strong impact on the market. It is absolutely obvious that exactly the officials should offer the measures to overcome the crisis.
URALSIB BANK announced the results of its activity in 10 months of 2008, calculated by Russian accounting standards.
According to news agency Bloomberg, the world's four largest insurance companies can acquire small banks in order to improve their chances for getting money from the US federal program for rescuing of the banking system.
On November 18, 2008, the 11th two-day Moscow international forum on payment cards in Russia and the 13th international conference and exhibition Smart Cards of Russia-2008 (SCR-2008) began their work in Hotel Kosmos Moscow. The organizers of the event were Association of Russian Banks (АRB), ARB-FORUM, National Plastic Card Agency and Federal Agency on Information Technologies. The status of the general sponsors was granted to Visa Inc., Arcom Group, Ingenico, ТТК and INPAS. Over 600 delegates took part in SCR-2008.
On November 18-19, 2008, Recon International Publishing House presented the printed version of its annual bilingual (Russian-English) PLUS-Eurasia Buyers Guide 2008–2009 in Hotel Kosmos Moscow at the 11th two-day Moscow international forum on payment cards in Russia and the 13th international conference and exhibition Smart Cards of Russia-2008 (SCR-2008).
VTB24 Bank began to sell Privilege VIP Package. The new offer combines the advantages of a bonus card product, a wide set of services and possibility to open accounts on special terms.
Bank of Moscow and AmEx Company launched a special promotion campaign for the holders of travellers cheques. All clients, who buy AmEx travellers cheques for a minimum sum of 1 thousand US dollars or euros during the period November 17 - December 31, 2008, in the Bank of Moscow (in Moscow or in St.-Petersburg) will get an MP3-player as a gift.
AmEx Company undertook a research to find out, how Russians protect their money on foreign trips: ROMIR Monitoring Company polled 1. 5 thousand inhabitants over 18, and living in 107 cities and settlements of Russia.
Dr. Web Company warns against a new wave of phishing. Recently a lot of spam messages have been dispatched on behalf of large western banks (JPMorgan Chase Bank, RBC Royal Bank) and advertising services (Google AdWords), which ask the users to enter various passwords, numbers of their credit cards, etc. in counterfeit Internet resources.
Private information leakage occurred in Jefferson County (West Virginia, USA). Various citizens’ documents were published in the official website of the County Secretary, and many of them contained such personal data as social security numbers.
Halykbank (People's Bank of Kazakhstan) has launched a project allowing money transfers to VisaInc.card from any bank of the world with the use of mobile phones. The given service is implemented within the framework of Mobile Banking system.
Begun contextual advertising service has published the results of a new poll of Moscow Internet users done by Comcon Company on the questions of the contextual advertising.
Nokia Company, the world’s largest producer of mobile phones, one of the developers of NFC technology and participant in a number of projects on its introduction, predicts a lower growth rates of the world market of cellular telephones in the fourth quarter of 2008 and during 2009.
Levoberezhny Bank has installed Express-Service subsystem, a part of the CFT-Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform). The new solution will allow the bank to speed up considerably the servicing of corporate clients due to automation of the most frequent actions of operators and cashiers.
The Fifth International CRM Congress focused on the strategy and technological development of client-oriented companies was held in Hotel Renaissance Moscow, October 21-22, 2008. The event was organized by Exposystems Company. The platinum sponsor of the congress was Microsoft. The status of the gold sponsors got companies Amdocs, Oracle and Jet Infosystems. The information partner of the event was PLUS Journal.
«Call Center Outsourcing Forum–2008», a large-scale professional event, was held in Hotel Renaissance Moscow, October 20-21, 2008. It assembled on one platform the outsourcing call-centers, customers of the outsourcing services, and also companies wishing to join this business. The gold sponsors of the forum organized by Exposystems Company were АМТ Group, VimpelCom G.C., Genesys and Cisco.
Doubtfulness, inopportuneness, and even a potential threat to the real prospects of the Russian economy’s withdrawal from the crisis of the bill «On amendments to the Federal Law «On banks and banking activity» find their reflection in a consolidated position of the Association of Russian Banks and Association «Russia».
Within the framework of a pilot project, about 400 military and other voters presently living abroad, but registered in Okalusa County (Florida, USA), could vote in electronic boothes in Mildenhall (Great Britain) and Ramstein (Germany).
World leaders welcomed the results of G20 summit in Washington, which called to stop the world economy from slipping into recession.
At their summit in Washington, the leaders of 19 most economically advanced countries and European Union approved a plan on stimulation of the economic growth. The plan envisages that the subsequent measures of all of the countries will be dictated by their internal economic situations, and it does not demand creation of a uniform coordinated program of action.
Until recently the Russian banks provided credits for purchase of cars without initial contributions, without interests, and for long terms (up to 7 years), attracting clients to various autocrediting programs. As a result, in 2007, about half of all new cars were acquired due to credits. According to the motor-car manufacturers’ committee of the Association of European Businesses in Russia, in 2008 sales of foreign cars grew by 40 % in comparison with the previous year.
According to experts, a new wave of consolidation of the IТ market can support the companies, which experience difficulties, encourage innovations and promote new technologies even during an economic recession.
A bill has been presented to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, allowing the creditor banks to sell the apartments left as mortgage deposits without permission of a court. According to Victor Pleskachevsky, the author of the bill, the banks could sell the apartments only if their agreement with a borrower contains such a term.
RBC.Rating has published rating of the most branch-rich banks in Russia in 2008. In the past year the composition of Top-5 banks, the biggest by the number of their operating branches, and places within the group have not changed. The first place is still occupied by the largest bank in Russia – SBERBANK of the Russian Federation – with its 20 507 operating branches (about a half of all the points operating within the Russian banking system). The second and third places belong to Russian Agricultural Bank and Rosbank with their respectively 1 397 and 592 branches.
Bank of Russia does not object to participation of the law enforcement bodies in control over the banks’ currency transactions. As Sergey Ignatyev, Chairman of the Bank of Russia, said at a briefing in the Government of the Russian Federation: «In this situation, characterized by a significant capital outflow, a more effective and rigid supervision is required».
According to Mikhail Sukhov, head of department of licensing and financial rehabilitation of the credit organizations of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, when adopted, the bill setting higher requirements to the size of the banks’ capital will not result in essential reduction of their number.
A single center for coordination of mobile commerce will be established in Russia with the functions of standardization and internal regulation of the Russian market of mobile commerce.
As Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, said at a meeting with the management of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation should see to it that the banks’ credit rates must not exceed the reasonable limits. He also acknowledged that the credit interests in Russia were considerably higher, than in other countries.
Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, at his meeting with the Presidium of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of the Russian Federation, pointed out the necessity to reduce the number of intermediaries participating in distribution of the state resources among concrete enterprises. «It is necessary to do everything possible to reduce to a minimum the number of instances standing between a decision to allocate money and real provision of a credit to a concrete enterprise».
NCR Company will take part in the 9th Moscow international forum on payment cards in Russia and the 13th international conference and exhibition «Smart Cards in Russia-2008» (SCR-2008), which will be held in Kosmos Hotel, Moscow, November, 18-19, 2008.
SynterraCompany will receive from the Ministry of Communications of the Russian Federation money for servicing of the domestic protected network within the project of transition to biometric passports. The open auction, held on October 24, 2008, on provision of telecom services in VPN network in 2008, revealed the winner – the only participant, Synterra Company.
During the exhibition-congress CARTES & IDentification 2008, held in the exhibition center Paris-Nord Villepinte, November, 4-6, 2008, VeriFone Company summed up the preliminary results of 2008, and awarded a number of companies for their achievements in business. INPAS Company, master-distributor of VeriFоne in Russia and CIS, received the award «For introduction of a full range of VeriFone solutions 2007-2008».
Conference «Protected business. Counteraction to external and internal threats» was held in Atlas Park-Hotel near Moscow, November 13-14, 2008. The event was organized by InformZaschita Company with assistance of Cisco, Positive Technologies and Kaspersky Lab. Among the participants were representatives of big Russian companies, banks and commercial structures, large industrial enterprises and state institutions.
SMS banking is rapidly gaining popularity with the cardholders of Belarusbank: the number of its users has exceeded 300 000.
The results of the activity of the Russian insurance companies in the nine months of 2008, summed up by the Federal Service for Insurance Supervision (Rosstrakhnadzor), demonstrate that the financial crisis and the subsequent curtailment of real business retard the growth rates of the insurance premiums. Thus, already today a return to the schemes on minimization of taxes is noticeable.
The concept of a uniform center for coordination of mobile commerce – the central administrative body, carrying out the functions of standardization and internal regulation of the Russian market of mobile commerce, will be presented at the First inter-regional conference «Mobile Commerce 2008», which will be held in Moscow, December, 3-4, 2008. PLUS Journal will be an information partner of the event.
As Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, said on the eve of Russia-EC negotiations in Nice and G20 summit in Washington, views of the European Union and Russia on the reforms of the world financial institutions are very close and coincidedown to nuances.
In his speech in New York on the eve of the summit of the 20 leading countries of the world, dedicated to discussion of the global crisis, George W. Bush, current president of the USA, recognized the necessity of reforms for the world financial system. At that he insisted that the credit crisis was not a consequence of a free market.
On November 11, 2008, after a journalistic investigation undertaken by Washington Post, two Internet providers in the USA blocked access to the network for McColo Company. Experts assumed that the company was engaged in hosting of the groups operating the computer networks implanted with their botnets, which allow the malefactors to dispatch viruses and spam messages through the infected computers.
According to experts, Russian authorities will stop the banks’ attempts to make money on the currency exchange differences, using the means of the state support allocated for maintaining the stability of the Russian banking system and continuation of crediting of the real sector of the economy.
MasterCard announced the financial results of its activity in the third quarter of 2008 in the European region. The number of cards of the payment system (MasterCard, Maestro or Cirrus) issued in the region reached a 500 million level.
BPC Group traditionally took part in the exhibition-congress CARTES & IDentification 2008, which was held in the exhibition center Paris-Nord Villepinte, November 4-6, 2008.
Since the beginning of the current 2008, the volume of the fixed deposits of the population in VTB24 has increased more than 1.4 times, and exceeded 213 billion rubles as of November 1, 2008. In October, 2008, alone the increment of the fixed deposit balances amounted to 2 billion rubles.
Platina Bank has begun operations in the bank electronic due payments (BEDP) – system of gross real-time settlements, created by the Bank of Russia for acceleration of settlements in the Russian economy.
On the background of the world economic crisis a positive growth is demonstrated by such a segment of the market, as mobile messages. The share of the operators’ incomes from the mobile message transfers will continue to grow.
Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation and the Federal Medical-Biological Agency intend to implement in 2008 – 2012 a large-scale program for development of the Blood Service. Today Russia lacks donor blood, there are only 13–14 donors per 1000 people, while a conventional norm is not less than 40, and every year at least 1.5 million Russians need blood transfusion.
Results of a poll of the First Rating System Company ( Ukraine) have shown that 25 % of the inhabitants of Ukrainian big cities use Internet shops.
The National Bank of Azerbaijan (NBA) plans to continue its policy of decreasing the rates.
According to Financial Times, one of the high-ranking officials of the US Ministry of Defense, who wished to remain anonymous, the Chinese hackers penetrated the networks of Pentagon and White House several times in order to get access to the confidential documents and governmental correspondence.
At the recent governmental meeting on economic questions held on November 10, 2008, the main topic for discussion was the measures undertaken by the Government to alleviate the consequences of the world financial crisis, in particular, the federal support for the Russian banks. Vladimir Putin noted, that recently the credit institutions had increased the volume of the funds transferred to foreign banks, and emphasized the necessity of an appropriate control over the means allocated by the Government.
On November 11, 2008, a package of bills on consumer crediting was introduced in the State Duma of the Russian Federation, according to which the banks will be forbidden to change freely the rates on the already provided credits.
At the meeting of Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, with members of the Presidium of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), among the questions discussed was participation of the Chamber in the implementation of the anti-recessionary measures adopted by the Government of the Russian Federation to support major sectors of the economy and counteract corruption.
As of October 1, 2008, the number of cards issued by SBERBANK of Russia increased compared with the beginning of 2008 by 19.7 % and reached 27.9 millions.
The number of SBERBANK’s clients connected to its Mobile Bank service has exceeded 5 million persons.
URALSIB Bank announced a launch of a large-scale federal program of social advertising with the aim to increase the financial literacy of the population. The campaign, supported by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, will be carried out this autumn in 32 key cities of Russia, and will familiarize the citizens of the Russian Federation with simple rules, which can help each Russian family to feel more confident in today's market situation and to avoid the unnecessary stresses and mistakes.
Bank of Nerungri and the Center of Financial Technologies have concluded a contract, according to which CFT-Bank system (Oracle-based development platform) will be installed in the bank. The agreement is a natural consequence of the partner relations of the bank and CFT Group. For many years Bank of Nerungri has been a participant of the Golden Crown Russian payment system, and it also provides Faktura.ru services to its clients.
Orenburg regional branch of Soglasie Insurance Company has concluded a contract of property insurance concerning Rosbank’s ATMs across Orenburg Region.
Total net volume of Trend Micro’s sales amounted to 25 968 million yens (241 million US dollars). The profit from operations in the quarter reached 7 582 million yens (70 million dollars), and net profit – 5 861 million yens (54 million dollars). The given parameters reflect a 3% growth of the net sales volume, compared with the same period of the previous year.
Cisco Company offers in the market a new set of solutions modernizing the basic functions of public security, including management functions, operative functions, patrolling and work in locations, emergency communication and reaction to emergency situations. Besides, Cisco announced its cooperation with companies IBM, BearingPoint and other sector’s leaders in the field of development of new public security solutions, which will completely change the character of operation of the law enforcement bodies.
The US Federal Reserve System has satisfied the request of American Express, one of the largest international payment systems, concerning the change of its legal status. Following the example of the investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, AmEx also decided to get the status of a bank holding, which entitles it for federal support.
According to Oleg Tinkov, a co-owner of Tinkoff. Credit SystemsBank (ТCS Bank), specializing in emission of credit cards, in near future the bank might reduce or even freeze issue of cards. In the conditions of a financial crisis, which makes it impossible to attract investors, the bank is compelled to concentrate its efforts on its liquidity and portfolio management.
The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) of the Russian Federation intends before November, 15, 2008, to present to the Government a draft decision on the admissible terms of agreements between the insurers and the banks concerning all kinds of crediting, except mortgage.
On November 8, 2008, in Caracas, in the presence of Igor Sechin, Vice-Premier of the Russian Federation, and Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, the memorandum was signed on establishment of a joint Russian-Venezuelan bank with the authorized capital of 4 billion US dollars. The participant in the joint venture from the Russian side will be Gazprombank.
On November 7, 2008, five Moscow branches of SBERBANK of Russia began to provide credits to private clients with the use of a new technology based on a centralized assessment of borrowers.
American Express Company and SBERBANK of Russia launched in the Far East a joint promotion campaign aimed at the buyers of traveller's cheques.
NVision Group, Russian system integrator and supplier of IT solutions, took part in the eighth annual international exhibition-forum Information Technologies and Telecommunications (InfoCom – 2008), which was held in Crocus Expo Exhibition Center, October 22-25, 2008.
ОТP Bank provides to MasterCard Worldwide cardholders opportunity of carrying out of some payment transactions in its own ATM network. Among them are payments for services of the cellular and fixed telecom operators, commercial TV, Internet providers, housing and communal services, etc.
Ural FD Bank (Perm) has expanded the functionalities of its ATMs. So, holders of cards Visa Inc. and MasterCard Worldwide, issued by the bank, now can transfer money from one card to another in the bank’s ATM network.
АRESBANK and CFT Group have signed an agreement on supply to the bank of CFT-Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform).
Christopher Boyd, Director of FaceTime Security Labs, company specializing in the field of information security, has found in Internet a list of the cracked logins of eBay auction, consisting of 121 pages and containing data on over 5500 personal accounts of eBay users, including their names, passwords and e-mail addresses.
According to the National Bank of Azerbaijan, by October 1, 2008, the number of ATMs located in the territory of the country was equal to 1 448 pieces, compared with 1 316 ATMs at the beginning of 2008.
In late 1990s, Benjamin Craig, while operating a US Air Forces base network, came to a conclusion, that even military specialists had no proper knowledge about computer security. «In this connection we constantly had to tell our colleagues about the threats connected with the so-called «social engineering», – recollects Craig.
МЕТCОМBАNК (Ekaterinburg) has successfully migrated its acquiring networks, installed with its previous bank-sponsor, to the system TranzWare Online applied in the processing center Compass Plus.
Sovietsky Bank(St.-Petersburg) and CFT Group of Companies have signed a cooperation agreement, within the framework of which CFT-Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform) will be installed in the bank.
CROC Company has finished the project on construction of the Call Processing Center(CPC) on the basis of Avaya equipment for Russian Standard Insurance Company. The main aim of the project is to improve the service quality and minimize the voice communication channel costs.
Norvik Banka ( Latvia) has finished certification of ACS (Access Control Server) publishing application of TranzWare e-Commerce software product from Compass Plus Company in Visa Inc. for performance of calculations in Internet network using 3-D Secure technology. The above technology envisages use of a password for identification of a cardholder and reducing risks for the on-line sellers. ACS module has been certificated in MasterCard Worldwide in the spring of 2007.
In the first 9 months of the current 2008 the turnover of e-port payments system reached 53.1 billion rubles, which is 31 % more, than in the same period of the previous year. Now, the structure of the turnover of the e-port system is changing: the volume of payments for telephone services, access to Internet, and municipal services is growing. Thus, by the end of the third quarter of the current year payments for the services of the mobile telecom operators made 89 % of all the turnover of the e-port system.
Cisco has finished the process of acquiring of Jabber Inc. ( Denver, USA). This transaction will allow Cisco to realize the control functions over accessibility and exchange of messages in the form of network services, which, in turn, will provide to the users an ample choice of the forms of deployment of these services in a corporate office network and in solutions based on various platforms, including Cisco WebEx Connect.
On October 13, 2008, at the conference Storage Networking World, held in Dallas ( Texas, USA), EMC Corporation presented EMC Connectrix NEX-5020 switchboard with FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) support. Connectrix NEX-5020 became the first-ever FCoE switchboard developed by the supplier of data storage systems.
Symantec Corporation has presented in the Russian market Norton Internet Security 2009 and Norton AntiVirus 2009 software products with improved speed and quality standards. The solutions’ speed was achieved due to over 300 improvements.
Trend Micro Inc. marked the 20-year anniversary of its activity in the sphere of counteraction to viruses, network swindle and Internet threats.
On November 11, 2008, annual road show New View of Remote Access will be launched – a series of seminars, devoted to innovations in the field of construction of a protected mobile access to information resources, with demonstration of various scripts for provision of interactive business cooperation between the offices and the remote users. Organizers of the event are companies Cisco Systems, Aladdin and VMware.
A 15-year old pupil of Shenendehowa Central Schools ( Clifton Park, New York) is accused of three crimes involving illegal access to confidential data: computer crack, illegal possession of personal data and theft of personal data.
According to analytical agency IMS Research ( Great Britain), ITV Company, Russian developer of software for video observation systems, has become number one in EMEA market.
On October 3, 2008, Alfa-Bank held in Moscow all-Russia conference «Russian banking sector: answers to the global challenge».
Russian Standard Bank and The Seventh Continent Company have concluded an agreement on a trade acquiring of the American Express cards. In accordance with the agreement AmEx cards will be accepted in The Seventh Continent supermarket chain, which incorporates over 130 stores across Russia.
Within the framework of its strategy for management of information risks, Symantec Corporation announced Symantec Vontu Data Loss Prevention 8.1 version in the Russian market.
RЕSО Credit Bank ( Moscow) has finished the first stage of introduction of CFT-Bank banking information complex (Oracle-based development platform). During the work the following subsystems were installed: «Accounting Nucleus», «Financial Settlements Centre», «Settlement-Cash Service », «Deposits» (physical persons), «Credits», «Agreements on Life, Property and Title Insurance, and Complex Agreements», «Compulsory Reporting to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation».
The sixth scientific-practical conference «Municipal information systems: achievements, problems and prospects 2008 » was held in the International Trade Centre (Ekaterinburg), October 23-24, 2008.
On November 1, 2008, Ocean Bank introduced its Payment. RU Internet terminal.
Promsvyazbank continues to expand its ATM network functional. Thus, now the bank’s cardholders can connect or disconnect SMS-information service, and also change their telephone numbers for SMS messages in the bank’s ATM network.
Security service of PrivatBank detained a 20-year old card swindler in Kherson. When it got information that unknown persons tried to pay with a counterfeit card in one of PrivatBank’s POS-terminals, the bank’s security service group arrived to the scene of the crime and detained a criminal with a counterfeit card of one of the banks of Czech Republic. Subsequently his accomplice was also identified and detained.
According to Home Credit Bank, recently it has been getting clients’ complaints for calls from unknown numbers. Unknown persons inform the clients about the banks’ bankruptcy without mentioning its name, and ask to pay off their credits urgently.
The ninth traditional international November seminar «Effective strategic bank management: experience, solutions, prospects» will be held in the Financial Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation in Moscow, November 13-14, 2008. The organizer of the event is the Bank Analysts’ Club (BAC), and a partner of the seminar is CFT Company.
According to the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), notwithstanding the uneasy modern economic situation, participants of the show business and mass-media feel quite happy, with their total intangible assets of 40 billion US dollars, including royalties, copyrights and trademarks, which can amount up to 25 % of a company’s value.
PandaLabs experts warn about the established direct interconnection between the volatility of the stock exchanges and the growing number of new Internet threats.
Notwithstanding their high prices, SMS credits are still popular in Baltic countries. So, according to SMS Laen Company, leader of the Estonian market of SMS loans, beginning from November applications for SMS credits are accepted in R-kiosks – the press kiosk network belonging to the Finnish company Rautakirja – in Tallinn, Tartu, Piarnu, Narva and some other cities.
Clear, frequent air passenger biometric system, was open in Hartsfield-Jackson airport ( Atlanta, USA). Now the system identifying users by their fingerprints and iris, stores information on over 11 thousand passengers from Atlanta, and in near future it is expected to embrace up to 100 thousand persons.
Since the beginning of November, 2008, SBERBANK of Russia has changed the program credit terms for the physical persons.
GE Money Bank announced opening of Operation Support Center for its clients in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan. The Operation Support Center will render to the clients from all the ten regions of GE Money Bank presence a full range of telephone services, and will also ensure other supporting functions.
CONTACT, international money transfer and payment system, ascended to a new level of cooperation with REMESAS QUISQUEYANA INC, big American remitting company. This partnership allows CONTACT to extend its presence in two new countries – Colombia and Brazil.
Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft jointly with a number of human rights organizations and investment companies announced signing of a uniform code of rules concerning conducting of business in the countries, which restrict freedom of speech and human rights. Besides, the parties established a noncommercial organization Global Network Initiative, which will control the activity of Internet companies in such countries (including China), and publish annual reports on the observance of the uniform code of rules in various countries.
Alfa-Bank cardholders got additional privileges in Moscow within the framework of INOUT, Moscow discount program.
Symantec Corporation announced the results of the second quarter of 2009, which ended on October 3, 2008. Its income in the quarter, calculated by GAAP book keeping standards, amounted to 1518 billion US dollars, while its non-GAAP income equaled to 1523 billion dollars, which is 6 % more, than in the same period of the previous year.
Within the framework of Moscow conference Cisco Expo, which was held in Moscow Radisson SAS Slavyanskaya Hotel, October 14-16, 2008, alongside with other novelties, the company presented its Cisco TelePresence solution intended for carrying out of remote negotiations with a presence effect, and demonstrated a new service of intercorporate communication for the first in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale Bank (Nord/LB, Germany) and IBM Corporation have signed a 5-year contract on provision of IT services, which means prolongation and expansion of the existing agreement on IT servicing concluded by Nord/LB and IBM in 2004.
Scientists from Monell Chemical Senses Center (USA) assert that an individual smell, like fingerprints, can be used as an ID principle.
PandaLabs, producer of antivirus software, has published a list of 10 most dangerous kinds of malware.
According to Bloomberg, JPMorgan Chase & CO (USA) intends to restructure mortgage credits worth of 110 billion dollars.
In the opinion of a number of experts, the leakage of personal data in the medical insurance company Medical Mutual ( Ohio, USA) was quite serious – 11 computer disks of the company with confidential information on 36 thousand citizens were lost by the U.S. Postal Service. The data on the missing disks was not codified.
Toshiba Company has started manufacture of NAND-memory chips with the use of 43-nanometer technological process.
According to Visa Inc., the number of debit and credit cards presently in circulation in Vietnam has increased up to 900 000, which corresponds to 1 % of the population of the country.
Dmitry Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, signed the Federal Law «On additional measures for strengthening stability of the banking system in the period up to December 31, 2011». The law was approved by the State Duma and the Council of the Federation, and came into force at the moment of its official publication (on October 28, 2008).
On October 30, 2008, under the presidency of Sergey Ignatyev, Head of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, a meeting of the Board of Directors of the state corporation Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) was held.
On the initiative of Russia the First Committee of the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the resolution «Achievements in the sphere of information and telecommunications in the context of the international security», 167 states voted in favor of it, the US delegation voted against it, and nobody abstained.
Bank of Moscow and Visa Inс. have launched a joint advertising campaign «Down with queues in cash departments! CTP card to the people!», within the framework of which the credit card Visa Electron with a function of cashless transit payment (CTP) in Moscow underground is offered to the bank’s customers. The promotion campaign will last till November 30, 2008. The number of trips with the Bank of Moscow card is not limited, and the travel price is reduced. Annual card servicing equals to 125 rubles.
Total ОSМP turnover in the first 3 quarters of 2008 exceeded 123 billion rubles (4.7 billion US dollars), which is 53.94 % more than in the same period of 2007.
Cisco Company has published the second report on the results of a global research of the data leakage in the corporate information networks.
NCR Corporation has received orders for approximately 6 thousand ATMs from the leading five Chinese commercial banks (Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Construction Bank, and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China).
TietoEnator has delivered a payment card loyalty programme solution to one of the largest banks in Ukraine – Raiffaisen Bank Aval. The present programme foresees the issuing of payment cards (both debit and credit cards) that offer customers additional advantages, in particular, collecting bonus points for each purchase and for each settlement with payment cards issued within the framework of this programme.
Within the framework of the initiative to evaluate the quality of the work of the post services of the Middle East countries, Qatar Post Corporation announced introduction of RFID-technology from Motorola Inc. RFID readers produced by Motorola and technologies from other suppliers became a part of the tests in a joint project with the companies Emirates Post and Saudi Post.
On November 1, 2008, S7 Airlines introduced a 10-euro commission for paper tickets on the routes, where electronic tickets are available.
Dr. Web Company warns the users of a sharp growth of spam messages with an enclosed archive, which contain malware Trojan. Packed.1198, in the post traffic.
In September, 2008, over 3 thousand clients joined Ukrsotsbank’s service of SMS banking. Thus, the total number of the bank’s customers increased by 3 %.
Diamantbank ( Kiev, Ukraine) began distribution of American Express cards of the categories Green Card, Gold Card, Platinum Card and Centurion Card.
Brazilian IT specialists, registrars of domain names and representatives of the banking sector decided to take measures aimed against the Internet swindlers and to protect the clients of the financial institutions. In particular, the measures envisage that all the Brazilian banks, which offer Internet banking service to their clients, should have a separate domain name in a specially dedicated zone – subdomain .b.br.
In mid-October, 2008, two young men in Leninskoye Village (Jewish Autonomous Region) decided to extract the cash from an ATM belonging to SBERBANK of the Russian Federation by cracking it with a curbstone.
As Alexey Simanovsky, Director of the Banks’ Regulation and Supervision Department of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, said at the parliamentary hearings in the State Duma of the Russian Federation on October 28, 2008, the banks should create a fund or a system of collective financial security similar to the deposit insurance fund.
Alexey Abramov, Director of the Department for Organizing of Deposit Insurance (АСВ), said to mass-media that the agency refused to compensate for the accounts formed during «fictitious» transactions and transfer of the funds of legal persons to people’s accounts.
The Industrial Policy Committee of the Council of the Federation has elaborated a bill which determines the legal framework for activity of mass-media in Internet.
Diebold Corporation announced preliminary financial results of its activity in the third quarter of 2008. The company gained 890.3 million US dollars, or 20.2 % more than the same period of 2007. Its net profit grew by 65.2 % and amounted to 46.5 million dollars.
Company SAS Russia/CIS took part in the thirteenth international scientific-practical conference «Information technologies in railway transport – 2008» and related exhibition of branch achievements in the field of information and telecommunications «Infotrans-2008», the largest event of the year in the field of informatization of the railway transport, which has held in St.-Petersburg, October 15-18, 2008.
By the results of the third quarter of 2008, the number of cards issued by VUZ-Bank grew by 35 %.
Bank group HSBC ( Great Britain) plans to issue Visa Inc. contactless debit cards in Middle East.
Promsvyazbank has provided to the holders of Visa Inc. cards, issued by the bank, access to its Mobile Payment service. The service allows the Visa cardholders to instantly replenish their personal accounts through Beeline cellular telecom operator by entering a certain combination of figures on their mobile phones. The minimal amount of payment is 100 rubles.
According to the report of Kaspersky Lab on the spam activity in the third quarter of 2008, the share of spam in the global mail traffic reached 80.5 %, which is 2 % less than in the second quarter of the current year.
UkrMoney.com Internet payment system announced suspension of its operation beginning from November 1, 2008, for an uncertain period of time.
The second conference «Business of Internet shops and online services» was held in Kiev, organized by OWOX Company (development of and support for Internet shops).
On October 29, 2008, Knesset (parliament of Israel) approved in the first reading the bill on establishment of a national biometric archive.
According to a poll of about 3000 US citizens done by the National Cyber Security Alliance, each 5th inhabitant of the country (or 20 % of the respondents) decided against the online purchases because of the risks to the personal data.
According to the National Police Agency (NPA), in August of 2008, the number of ATM frauds dropped to its lowest level in 17 months – less than 1 000 cases.
American Express Company intends to fire about 7 000 employees, or to reduce its staff by 10 %. The company also plans to reduce the number of the supervising posts and to cut its modernization and marketing costs.
The 15-th international exhibition «Protection, security and fire-prevention» (MIPS 2009) and the 6-th international exhibition and conference «Intellectual cards and information technology security systems – 2008/CARDEX & IT SECURITY» will be held on one platform in Expocentre ( Moscow), April 13-16, 2009. The general mediapartner of «CARDEX & IT SECURITY» will be PLUS Journal.
Participants of the Russian market of IT outsourcing – Armada, Jet Inforsystems, Croc, Teskom (Optima), ОТR, Rosservice, StinsKoman, in4media and ISG – became the founders of Astra noncommercial partnership. Sergey Makedonsky, Director General of in4media, was appointed its President.
In the third quarter of 2008 total income of EMC amounted to 3.7 billion US dollars. Its net profit by GAAP standard was 411 dollars or 0.20 dollars per share with account of the special 0.01 dollar privileged income. Non-GAAP net profit reached 528 million dollars or 0.25 dollars per share, which is 14 % more than in the same period of 2007.
On October 28, 2008, within the framework of the Third Russian-Chinese Economic Forum, Gennady Krasnikov, Business Director of Sitronics Microelectronic Solutions, Director General of NIIME and Micron, and Wu Yue, Vice-President of the Chinese company China National Machinery Import&Export Corp (CMC), signed an agreement on cooperation between the companies.
On October 16, 2008, Cisco Business Institute was officially presented and in November will begin its work at Ternopol State Technical University named after I.Puluja (ТGTU). Earlier, on May 29, 2008, Cisco and ТGTU signed a corresponding agreement within the program of the Institute, which laid the foundation for development of this initiative in Western Ukraine.
NVision Group Company, Russian system integrator and supplier of IT solutions, took part in the 9th annual conference Cisco Expo 2008, which was held in Moscow, October, 14-16, 2008.
On October 27, 2008, during SAS FORUM RUSSIA 2008, the management of SAS announced acquisition by SAS of IDeaS Revenue Optimization Company, one of the leading suppliers of software for a complex management of incomes in the hotel, entertainment and tourist business. In the opinion of SAS management, the given step will enable the company to expand the branch sphere of its activity and to strengthen its positions in the field of tourism and hotel business. The financial terms of the transaction were not revealed.
Orient Express Bankand CFT group of companies have signed an agreement on transition of the bank’s retail business to CFT Retail Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform).
On November 1, 2008, Citibank introduced a system of SMS notifications of regular credit payments.
Moneta.ru system of Internet payments has connected to the e-port system of instant payments. So, now the clients of Moneta.ru can replenish their accounts in the system through 60 thousand e-port points, almost 20 thousand ATMs and instant payment terminals in bank branches, and also by means of e-port mobile application.
NEC Company ( Tokyo, Japan) has developed an algorithm of a biometric identification of persons by their face images. The given biometric system is based on 32-bit NEC V850 microcontroller. The developers managed to reach a high speed of the instrument: the applied algorithm allows to identify 300 persons per second.
Members of the British Parliament and experts of the UK credit market expressed their indignation of an unreasonably high annual interest rate (over 222 %) offered by Argos trading company on Easy Shop credit card, and intended for the borrowers, wishing to get credits for payment of purchases from 100 up to 500 euros.
Computer burglars will soon get one more instrument for interception of the information typed on computer keyboards.
According to the results of a research of Western Union Company, with the beginning of a holiday season during the period of economic uncertainty, when consumers everywhere are compelled to limit their budgets, 56 % of Americans prefer cash as a gift.
In its Decision N793 «On amendments to the Custom Duties of the Russian Federation concerning certain alcohol-containing drinks, and also terminals for electronic payment by credit or debit cards» of October, 27, 2008, the Government of the Russian Federation approved the new duties on import of terminals for electronic payment by credit or debit cards.
NXP Semiconductors, supplier of semi-conductor components, jointly with BMW Group have developed a technology for payment of goods by means of a car ignition key.
Penki Kontinentai Group represented by its subsidiary BS/2 and Wincor Nixdorf are to strengthen and expand their successful cooperation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Representatives of both companies signed a partnership agreement today that will see cooperation between the two being extended in the long term. In addition to the banking portfolio, Penki will also market IT solutions from Wincor Nixdorf in the future for retail enterprises.
MasterCard Worldwide, Raiffeisenbank and Delta Telecom, Russian cellular telecom and Internet access operator (Sky Link trade mark), announced issue of a new co-branded credit card Skye Link – Raiffeisenbank MasterCard with special bonus offers.
On October 27, 2008, SAS FORUM RUSSIA 2008 was held in Moscow Holiday Inn Sokolniki. It is considered the largest event in Russia and the CIS countries in the field of Business Intelligence. The organizer of the forum was SAS Russia/CIS Company, its partner –Teradata Company, the general sponsor – SUN Microsystems Company, and the status of the official mediapartner was granted to PLUS Journal.
Citibank in cooperation with the leading Russian retail networks has launched SimpleShopping.ru, the first Internet portal in the country completely devoted to discounts for Citibank cardholders.
According to Reiner Muller-Hanke, Chairman of Board of KMB Bank, at the opening ceremony of another office of the bank in Kazan, before the end of 2008, the bank plans to open in Russia 20 branches, in particular, in Ufa, Krasnodar and St.-Petersburg. Thus, the structural network of KMB Bank will integrate over 90 branches.
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has increased the number of POS, providing Internet banking service: 10 bank’s offices located in the largest cities of Russia began to render the given service: Moscow, Krasnodar, Ufa, Ekaterinburg, Nizhni Tagil, etc. Thus, the total number of IBRD offices providing Internet banking service has amounted to about 100.
Symantec Corporation announced its add-ins to Veritas Storage Foundation product, which allow to achieve the maximal efficiency of the thin provisioning systems, optimizing the process of migration and permitting redistribution of the freed resources. Thin provisioning is a technology based on disk files and intended for an efficient dynamic distribution of capacity between the applications and a maximal use of the capacity.
NVision Group Company, Russian system integrator and supplier of IТ solutions and strategic partner of EMC, took part in EMC Forum 2008, the fifth international forum on storage and management of information technologies, held on October 23, 2008, in Moscow.
Elecsnet Company offers a new service allowing its clients to make payments in the company’s network of terminals with the use of contactless cards: subway cards, social cards, commuter train cards and city ground transit cards.
Agrochimbank completed the first stage of introduction of CFT-Bank information complex (Oracle-based development platform). The implemented work included installation of the following subsystems: «Nucleus of Accounts», «Financial Settlements Centre», «Accounting-Cash Service», «Deposits of Legal and Physical Persons», «CB Accounting».
On October 22, 2008, MarketingPrO Magazine organized business-seminar «Effective Methods of Bank Card Promotion» in Commersant Hall of the Extropolis Conference Center ( Moscow). The general information partner of the event was PLUS Journal.
Anti-Malware.ru, Russian independent information-analytical portal, has published the results of a regular testing of popular antiviruses for a possibility of treatment of the infected computers.
National Clearing Centre BKM (Bankalararasi Kart Merkezi – Interbank Card Center) intends to start testing of NFC system in Turkey. A pilot project for testing the technology will be launched in January, 2009, and will last one year. Applications for participation in the project were submitted by 2 out of 3 mobile telecom operators of the country, and also by 9 banks.
VSK Insurance House has carried out three insurance payments in St.-Petersburg: 4.1 million rubles, 3.7 million rubles and 1.6 million rubles, in cases of ATM cracking. In all three cases the malefactors managed to penetrate into the service zone of ATMs and steal the cash which they contained.
In October, 2008, the number of cards issued by Raiffeisenbank exceeded 1.4 millions. By the results of the third quarter of 2008, the card turnover across Russia and beyond its boundaries exceeded 2.5 billion US dollars, and a monthly card turnover exceeds 900 million US dollars.
Bank Societe Generale Vostok (BSGV) now offers a package of Youth banking services, which includes cards BSGV-ISIC (International Student Identity Card) and BSGV-IYTC (International Youth Travel Card). The package of Youth banking services is intended for young people in the age bracket from 18 up to 23 years.
Now subscribers of MegaFon-Siberia service can replenish their personal accounts with the use of cards Visa Int. and MasterCard Worldwide of the Russian banks, on the website of the company, twenty-four-hours a day. Processing of the payments, SSL-enciphering of the data transferred in the network and security of the operations are ensured by Raiffeisenbank.
Raiffeisenbank has introduced a new «Payment for Services» in Raiffeisen CONNECT Internet banking system.
Unicom Systems Company ( Kiev, Ukraine), developer of software for electronic commerce, intends to present its new development – MoneXy software complex - «Electronic money and mobile payments» – within the framework of the exhibition «Money Expo 2008», to be held in Kiev, October 30 - November 2, 2008.
Multiregional TransitTelecom Company (МТТ), long-distance and international telecom operator in the Russian Federation, has achieved an agreement with Wallet One payment service concerning acceptance of payments from the physical persons for МТТ long-distance and international telecom services.
On October 24, 2008, Aeroflot – Russian Airlines announced temporary termination of acceptance of bank cards for payments through its web-site because of a hacker attack. Russian law enforcement bodies began investigation of the reasons behind that action.
International Forum Financial Ukraine – 2008 was held in ACCO International Exhibition Center ( Kiev), October 8-10, 2008. Its participants were over 60 exhibitors from different regions of Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland.
According to The Register ( London, UK), countries of the European Union intend to create a single database of cybercriminals, which will store information about the cybercrimes committed in Europe and about the persons involved in them.
According to The Register ( London, UK), countries of the European Union intend to create a single database of cybercriminals, which will store information about the cybercrimes committed in Europe and about the persons involved in them.
According to The Times, a portable disk was lost in one of the offices of EDS, system integrator, located in Hook ( Hampshire County, Great Britain). The disk contained strictly confidential personal data on 1.7 million servicemen and recruits of the British Army.
Companies Visa Inc. and MasterCard Worldwide will pay to their competitor 2.75 billion US dollars in accordance with the agreement on settlement of the legal process initiated by the payment system Discover. Payments will be made in the fourth quarter of 2008 and during 2009.
Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, the leading national air carrier, Citibank and Visa Int. payment system have launched in Russia a new co-branded credit card Aeroflot-Citibank-Visa.
The international money transfer and payment system CONTACT and Moldavian bank BANCA SOCIALA announced a launch of their project on carrying out of payments from the Republic of Moldova to the address of the Russian cellular telecom operator MTS. The given step marks the beginning of the system’s transboundary payments from the CIS countries.
Cisco Company announced the results of its new global research on information security problems. It revealed a lot of risks, which the companies’ employees take, thus endangering the security of the corporate information.
Cisco Company announced the results of its new global research on information security problems. It revealed a lot of risks, which the companies’ employees take, thus endangering the security of the corporate information.
On October 23, 2008, the Russian branch of EMC Corporation held in Moscow EMC Forum 2008, the fifth international forum on information storage and management technologies.
IDC Worldwide Quarterly Storage Software Tracker Report for the second quarter of 2008 has demonstrated the leadership of Symantec Corporation in several categories of software, including data protection software, data storage infrastructure and filing system.
IronPort Systems Company (supplier of antivirus and antispam solutions), which recently became a part of Cisco, Inc., has introduced in the market one of the most high speed web security devices – IronPort S660 hardware platform– developed for large corporate data processing centers (DPC) and able to protect up to 30 thousand end users.
MOLDCELL Company, GSM operator in Moldova, and OSMP payment system announced beginning of their cooperation in accepting payments from the physical persons for the services of MOLDCELL mobile telecom operator. Payments will be accepted in the territory of Moldova.
According to network security specialists, more and more teenagers get involved in computer swindle and use Internet forums for exchange of the stolen numbers of credit cards, means for illegal obtaining of personal information, and also advice on breaking the websites.
After a one-year operation of a pilot project in Cannes and Strasbourg, the European Association for Mobile Payment (Association Europeenne Payez Mobile – AEPM) has been established.
After a one-year operation of a pilot project in Cannes and Strasbourg, the European Association for Mobile Payment (Association Europeenne Payez Mobile – AEPM) has been established.
According to the results of the research «Banking risk management: a postcrisis knockout», undertaken by the rating agency Expert RА, 40.7 % of the polled banks have toughened the terms for delivery of credits to borrowers – to the legal persons, and 51.8 % – to the physical persons. Market participants believe that these are the measures necessary to protect the credit and financial establishments.
Addressing the members of the parliament, Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, underlined the importance of security and confidentiality of the accounts of both Belarus and foreign physical and legal persons.
Addressing the members of the parliament, Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, underlined the importance of security and confidentiality of the accounts of both Belarus and foreign physical and legal persons.
According to Die Zeit ( Hamburg, Germany), the next victim of the financial crisis in the USA can be the credit card industry. When the banks became more cautious in provision of credits, for many Americans their credit cards turned out the only source of cash.
Giesecke & Devrient Company has presented the first-ever card with a display which is ready for an industrial scale issue. A six-digit display is built in a card during a regular selection of the plastic layers and their subsequent sintering, which increases the card’s resistance to a mechanical wear.
Giesecke & Devrient Company has presented the first-ever card with a display which is ready for an industrial scale issue. A six-digit display is built in a card during a regular selection of the plastic layers and their subsequent sintering, which increases the card’s resistance to a mechanical wear.
By means of a portable skimmer an employee of California Pizza Kitchen ( Plymouth, USA) scanned the bank cards of the restaurant’s visitors and copied their confidential data.
On October 27, 2008, SAS FORUMRUSSIA 2008 was held in Moscow Holiday Inn Sokolniki, which is considered a major event in Russia and the CIS countries in the field of Business Intelligence. This time the event was held under the motto «Predict your future! Optimize your business!». The organizer of the forum was SAS Russia/CIS Company, and its official mediapartner was PLUS Journal.
In his decree number 1489 of October 17, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, established a Council under the President of the Russian Federation on the development of the financial market. Igor Shuvalov, the First Deputy Chairman of the Government, was appointed its Chairman. Among the Council members are Ilya Lomakin-Rumiantsev, Head of FSSN, and Vladislav Reznik, Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma on the Financial Market.
In his decree number 1489 of October 17, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, established a Council under the President of the Russian Federation on the development of the financial market. Igor Shuvalov, the First Deputy Chairman of the Government, was appointed its Chairman. Among the Council members are Ilya Lomakin-Rumiantsev, Head of FSSN, and Vladislav Reznik, Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma on the Financial Market.
Golden Crown – Money Transfer system entered the money transfer market of the Republic of Kazakhstan, having concluded a partner agreement with Bank Caspian, one of leading banks in the Republic. Thus, in October, 2008, money transfer points of the payment system became available in all CIS countries.
Specialists from Master Bank, Diebold and OpenWay companies have developed a new solution allowing provision of a currency exchange service on the basis of an ATM network.
Andrey Vdovin, member of EXPOBANK Board of Directors, joined Diasoft Board of Directors as an independent director.
The Fourth International Conference «RETAIL BANKING was held in Yalta-Intourist, October, 5-8, 2008. It is reasonably considered one of the important events in the banking circles of the CIS and other foreign countries.
Microtest Company, specializing in system integration and consulting, announced a successful termination of testing of Cisco TelePresence solutions for protection of communications channels. The solution allows to protect confidential data and information in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation.
The Ministry of Transport and Communication of Ukraine is going to introduce electronic passes, which will be used alongside with regular tickets.
MasterCard Worldwide has published a new research – Worldwide Centers of Commerce: Emerging Markets Index (EMI Index).
MasterCard Worldwide has published a new research – Worldwide Centers of Commerce: Emerging Markets Index (EMI Index).
MasterCard Worldwide jointly with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Stagecoach, transit operator, intend to test a contactless payment system in the ground transport of Liverpool.
UCS Company has held its Fifth All-Russia Conference for the heads of its branches to sum up the results of the company’s regional development in 2007-2008.
WebMoney Cards, Internet service, jointly with SafePayCard have launched Visa Virtual, a virtual rechargeable card. Visa Virtual cardholders will be able to carry out payments for the goods and the services acquired through Internet. It is possible to replenish a card balance immediately before a purchase, and the maximal account balance and the maximal sum of a one-off payment for replenishment of an account must not exceed 220 US dollars.
SBERBANK of Russia and MasterCard Worldwide organize another promotion for the holders of the payment system’s Standard and Gold cards issued by SBERBANK of Russia.
Now the users of URALSIB Bank’s remote payment system can pay with their international payment cards for a number of services.
Within the framework of expansion of the assortment of its solutions Data Center 3.0, Cisco Company announced new functions of emergency restoration, security and normative requirements for the application delivery networks. The given functions accelerate the replication traffic processes in the data-processing centers (DPC) in the global networks.
According to BelaPaN, Belarus information company, the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus has approved the bill «On Credit Histories». The bill expands the list of contracts, the data on implementation of which are to be included in the credit histories. These are credit agreements, loan agreements, mortgage agreements, and guarantees. The bill foresees no credit limit, excess of which requires provision of data.
According to BelaPaN, Belarus information company, the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus has approved the bill «On Credit Histories». The bill expands the list of contracts, the data on implementation of which are to be included in the credit histories. These are credit agreements, loan agreements, mortgage agreements, and guarantees. The bill foresees no credit limit, excess of which requires provision of data.
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) announced its intention to install new systems of mass scanning and face recognition in most of the world’s largest airports. Having collected an extensive database of photos, Interpol experts could take more effective measures against the crimes and international terrorism.
International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) announced its intention to install new systems of mass scanning and face recognition in most of the world’s largest airports. Having collected an extensive database of photos, Interpol experts could take more effective measures against the crimes and international terrorism.
By means of a SQL-injection an unknown hacker got access to the data of credit cards of the users of theideacatalog.com website. According to the information available to Perimetrix Company, the attacks were initiated in January, 2008, but have been recorded only recently.
At the annual conference of Adam Smith Institute «Russian Summit of Marketing Directors», held in Moscow, October 14-16, 2008, Irina Alabina, Marketing Director of the United System of Instant Payments (ОSМP) got an award in the nomination «Best Product Launch Campaign 2008».
Faktura.ru, Internet banking system, has introduced a new subsystem for monitoring of the financial operations of its clients – legal and physical persons.
Petersburg Social Commercial Bank(PSCB), one of the largest banks in the Northwest Federal District of the Russian Federation, has completed the first stage of introduction of CFT Bank, banking information complex (Oracle-based development platform).
TietoEnator invites everybody to visit its stand 3 E 045 at the exhibition-congress CARTES & IDentification 2008 – the largest specialized event in the world of plastic cards, which will be held in Paris-NordVillepinte, November 4-6, 2008.
According to the management ofAngstrem Concern (Zelenograd), the company, the first among the Russian enterprises, has delivered a batch of modules for manufacture of biometric passports to Atlas, federal state unitary enterprise.
According to the National Bank of Georgia, since January 1, 2008, the number of cards issued by the Georgian banks, has increased by 57.9 % and reached 3.2 millions by October 1.
According to the National Bank of Georgia, since January 1, 2008, the number of cards issued by the Georgian banks, has increased by 57.9 % and reached 3.2 millions by October 1.
According to Prime TASS with reference to the National Commission on Communications of Georgia, on October 20, 2008, all the Russian news websites resumed their work in Georgia.
According to BBC News, the European Commission suggests to expand the rights of clients of the on-line shops. As expected, the new rules will help to preserve the buyers’ loyalty and to increase sales in the European Internet shops which is especially critical during the economic crisis. Today on-line purchases are made by almost a third of population in the EU countries.
According to BBC News, the European Commission suggests to expand the rights of clients of the on-line shops. As expected, the new rules will help to preserve the buyers’ loyalty and to increase sales in the European Internet shops which is especially critical during the economic crisis. Today on-line purchases are made by almost a third of population in the EU countries.
According to China Tech News, during the Golden Week – celebration of the anniversary of the Peoples’ Republic of China – an average daily commodity circulation in the on-line shops of the country was almost 300 million yuans (about 44 million US dollars).
In 2009, Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation plans to establish a federal information system for collection, accounting and processing of patients’ data, which will embrace over 13 thousand medical establishments, including 2.4 thousand polyclinics and 5.3 thousand hospitals, and its budget will make 13.9 billion rubles (530 million US dollars).
According to Elman Babayev, Head of the press-service of the State Social Protection Fund of the Azerbaijani Republic (SSPF), now pensions are transferred to bank cards for 100 % of the pensioners in the cities and 70 % – in the regions of the country.
Trend Micro Company has revealed incidents of phishing aimed at the users of Yahoo! Search Marketing service (sale of Yahoo advertising space).
Symantec Company has presented a new solution – Veritas Cluster Server One (VCS One) – a new platform of high availability (HA) and disaster recovery (DR) for the data-processing centers (DPC) of the next generation.
According to BBC, a criminal group of 60 Internet dealers, specializing in sale of bank data, credit card information and other personal data, has been detained.
According to Le Journal du Dimanche (France), unknown swindlers have withdrawn a certain amount of money from the bank account of Nicolas Sarkozy, president of the country.
Aegis Mobility, Canadian supplier of software, has developed a new mobile service, allowing to block operation of a driver’s cellular telephone during a trip. The development was dubbed «a virtual secretary».
Aegis Mobility, Canadian supplier of software, has developed a new mobile service, allowing to block operation of a driver’s cellular telephone during a trip. The development was dubbed «a virtual secretary».
In recent years experts note an unprecedented growth of ATM networks in Latin America and their active use, thus demonstration of advertising on ATM displays became especially popular in Brazil.
In recent years experts note an unprecedented growth of ATM networks in Latin America and their active use, thus demonstration of advertising on ATM displays became especially popular in Brazil.
The Commission of the European Union advanced a proposal to create a legal base to regulate the use of e-cash. The proposed draft laws could help to create a single market within the EU, and allow new providers to work within its framework. In 2012, 10 billion euros are expected to be allocated for the development of the market of electronic payments.
Citibank in cooperation with Obopay, mobile payment system, has launched a pilot program for testing of a new service of money transfer between physical persons, operating in real-time.
Bank Saint Petersburg has launched a handheld computer version for Internet banking. A new service allows all the clients of Saint Petersburg Internet Bank to get a full access to their accounts from their pocket computers (palm computers) and smartphones from anywhere in the world.
Perimetrix Company (developer of solutions for security of confidential data) has published the results of the research «Personal Data in Russia, 2008», done jointly with the portal Bankir.Ru, Information Security Project and Association for Banking Information Security Standards (ABISS).
Perimetrix Company (developer of solutions for security of confidential data) has published the results of the research «Personal Data in Russia, 2008», done jointly with the portal Bankir.Ru, Information Security Project and Association for Banking Information Security Standards (ABISS).
According to Gennady Spirin, Director General of Assist Company (processing Internet company), since October 15, 2008, the servers of the company have been subjected to DDoS-attacks. As a result, the clients of over a thousand of Russian Internet shops and online services had problems with their bank card payments for goods and services.
Kazakhtelecom Company and Dr. Web launched the first project in Kazakhstan, which would allow access to the service of information protection for personal computers of the Megaline service subscribers (access to Internet) by means of Dr. Web AV-Desk service.
Symantec Corporation and Softline Company have published the results of their research dedicated to the attitude of small and medium enterprises to catastrophe resistant technologies and afterwreck restoration of the IT infrastructure, and also a degree of awareness of these enterprises about such technologies. Research was done by means of web- and phone questioning of 100 representatives of small and medium enterprises.
In recent past two years there has been a growing interest of consumers to the mobile banking and payment services offered by the credit and financial institutions.
Yury Borisov, Deputy Minister of the industry, said at the first meeting of the State Duma Council on Science, High Technologies and Innovative Development, that in the period up to 2015 the domestic electronic industry will need 300 billion rubles of investments.
On October 22, 2008, business-seminar «Effective Methods of Bank Cards’ Promotion», intended for representatives of the banking sector, will be held in Extropolis Conference Center ( Moscow).
Alfa-Bank offers Visa Infinite bank cards to its VIP clients covered by the A-Club package of services (exclusive club banking service system).
Due to closing of STB payment system, АК Bars Bank announces termination of servicing of STB cards issued by it in the acquiring networks of the other banks.
A call centerhas been established in Socium, non-governmental pension fund.
InformZaschita Company announced accomplishment of the project on construction and commissioning of an information security control system (ISCS), corresponding to the requirements of the international standard ISO/IEC 27001:2005, in BТА Bank ( Kazakhstan).
By 2009 Kirghizia intends to introduce control over Internet. The given initiative is supported by the officials responsible for decision-making on such questions.
According to Fox News, American TV channel, in the past year hackers made 6 successful penetrations into the World Bank’s IT system servers.
Now practically any user can buy services from cyber criminals in Internet and pay for them on a monthly basis, if he or she knows whom to address. As criminals become more sophisticated, it is more difficult to reveal the false bank websites, and it is more important to be vigilant against the roguish attacks.
BayCare, the largest in Tampa ( Florida, USA) network of medical centers, has introduced a system of patients’ biometric identification by palm capillary vessels in order to protect their personal data and restrict access to their electronic medical histories.
In September, 2008, the British Ministry of Defence confirmed loss of a hard disk containing 100 thousand records on employees and servicemen of the ministry.
Taking into account an economic crisis, experts of Gartner have lowered more than twice the previous forecast of the IT expenses growth for 2009. Nevertheless, according to analysts of Gartner, recession in IT branch will be not as sharp as after crash a pillbox-koms in 2001. Since those times, role of IT in the business management became paramount, and crisis has only underlined its value, experts of the company are assured.
In London, the rate «LIBOR» on which banks finance each other for the term of up to 3 months, for dollar credits has decreased to the lowest level for the last half a year – 4.6 %. Cost of three-monthly credits in euro has fallen to a minimum from the beginning of year – 5.2 %.
Corporation NCR has received orders for delivery to China about 6 thousand new ATMs.
According to the information as of October, 15th, 2008, the project
«Driver’s Card» based on technologies of Russian payment system Golden
Crown, will develop in 20 Russian cities. In the near future, this list
will be filled up with Krasnoyarsk, Omsk and Gorno-Altaisk. The issue
of «Driver’s Cards» will be carried out by: branch OPSB of OTP Bank
(Omsk), the Yenisei United bank (Krasnoyarsk), «El Bank» and bank
"Noosphere" (Gorno-Altaisk).
CONTACT and Blue Diamond have summed up their teamwork. The contract on cooperation between the International money transfers and payments system CONTACT and the leading Mongolian operator in the market of money transfers Blue Diamond has been signed on June, 1st, 2007.
Clients of online-hypermarket Ozon can pay the goods via the payment
system QIWI. The possibility to make payment is provided by means of
one of the system terminals, the site and the mobile client QIWI.
The Ukrainian airline "Wind rose" specializing on charter
transportations, plans to open till the end of current 2008 sales of
tickets via own web-site.
The city authorities of Rostov have declared their intention to translate existing system of payment of the municipal transportation on non-cash system of the journey payment, providing the use of validators. Expenses for implementation of the given project will make about 85 million roubles.
In October of current year, several companies have simultaneously been wrongly written down in debtors on tax payments on the Internet portal of the national credit information bureau AS Krediidiinfo ( Estonia).
The company Motorola has sold business on biometric technologies and devices manufacture to the technological company Safran SA (France, Paris). According to a number of the analysts, the given step is dictated by that circumstance, that Motorola could not receive the big profits in the USA market, having appeared away from the state and corporate orders for biometric technologies.
At the height of the working day on September, 19th, 2008, the robber has got into headquarters of the National bank of Canada, having cracked a door, and has stolen the laptop with the confidential information on hypothecary clients of the bank, which was attached to a table by a steel cable.
Financial crisis became one of key themes of IV conference «Electronic trade - 2008», taken place on October, 9-10th, 2008 in Moscow. In focus of discussion, there also was the future of payment systems of the Runet, forecasts on development of the Russian Internet-audience and legal regulation of electronic commerce.
At the session of Ministerial council of foreign affairs of the CIS taken place on October, 9th, 2008 in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) under presidency of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kirghiz Republic Ednana Karabaeva, there has been examined the draft agreement on cooperation in creation of the state information systems of passport and visa documents of new generation, their further development and use in the state-participants of CIS.
From January till September, 2008 the Bank of Moscow has shown essential growth of business: the directions connected with corporate financing and retail business developed most dynamically. On results of 9 months of the current year, the balance profit of Bank has made 6.1 billion rubles, and net profit – 4.3 billion rubles.
The company «Sky Link» equipped mobile points for the Internet-access on polling districts during elections into the Kemerovo regional Council of People's Deputies on October, 12th, 2008.
In September of the current year, the bank «Russian Standard» has opened new branches in Nizhni Tagil, Novokuznetsk, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk, Stary Oskol and Ekaterinburg.
Company ABS, the largest player on the system integration market in Kazakhstan, has announced preparation for initial public accommodation of shares (IPO).
Company "Euronetwork" and payment system OSMP have concluded the partner contract.
The mobile operator "Megafon" has given to its subscribers - inhabitants of the Moscow and Northwest regions - an opportunity of updating the account through sites "Megafon-Moscow" and "Megafon-northwest" using bank cards of Visa Inc. and MasterCard Worldwide. Up to the end of November of the current year, it is planned to start the above service in all the territory of Russia. As the partner of the company in the given project carrying out the payments processing has acted «Raiffeisenbank».
According to forecasts of the Center for economic and business-researches CEBR (London, the Great Britain), the London banks can reduce up to 62 thousand employees up to the end of 2009 because of the deepening credit crisis.
In bank Cooperative and Agricultural Credit Bank (CAC) of Yemen, the system of biometric identification of clients will start to operate in the near future. For implementation of the given project bank has chosen the decision on the basis of identification technology on an iris of the eye.
In the beginning of September, 2008, the project United ATM Network of Uniastrum Bank and Rosbank has started, including more than 2.3 thousand АТМs across all Russia.
According to the message of the newspaper "Businessman", the government of Russia recommended VTB and Savings Bank to finance grocery networks of the country.
The Baikal bank of the Savings Bank of Russia has announced the issue of the 850-thousandst bank card. Now the Baikal bank of the Savings Bank of Russia offers clients cards of international payment systems Visa Inc. and MasterCard Worldwide, as well as smart cards URPS SBERCARD.
Golden Crown has signed the contract about cooperation with the Azerbaijan transfer system «Caspian Money Transfer». Now, addressees of the remittances sent to Azerbaijan via system «Golden Crown - Remittances», will be ableto receive money in offices of the network «Caspian Money Transfer».
The international money transfer system UNIStream has signed the partner agreement with PotentialBank (the Samara area) within the limits of which, the development of a service network of the system through bank’s branches is foreseen.
According to the report of APACS, the Internet-swindlers and spamers exploit the global financial crisis and crash of the bank system. In the Europe, according to APACS, the quantity of fishing attacks on banks has grown on 180% during 9 months. Brands of banks JP Morgan Chase, Wachovia and Bank of America are used by fraudsters more often than other brands.
Companies NXP and Austria Card have presented the decision for fulfillment of contactless payments by means of the card Lufthansa Miles & More. The new EMV card with chip NXP SmartMX uses technology MasterCard PayPass for carrying out of fast and secure transactions.
Consumers got an opportunity to pay for electronic air tickets of air company Kolavia in ATMs and branches of Surgutneftegazbank within the limits of the joint project launched by the two institutions since September 22, 2008.
Credit platform Zopa stops the operations in the USA 10 months later after the beginning of work. According to the service management, due to the uneasiest conditions in the market of consumer crediting in the United States, the decision to focus the efforts to development of service in the Great Britain, Italy and Japan was accepted.
Since October, 2008 clients of the Moscow Credit Bank had an opportunity to use the Internet-banking system«MCB Online» for tax payments and for any other payments in the budget, including penalties payment. The fee for carrying out of payments in the budget is not withdrawn.
Interprombank and Diasoft company declare the successful end of the project on introduction of the module «Diasoft FA# Retail, Safe cells», a part of the retail solution"Diasoft".
Experts of Russian IT-company Digital Design have started introduction of the system Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 in insurance company "Grandis". Within the limits of the project, automation of control processes of client data, transactions, and also processing of forms of documents (insurance agreements, reports to insurance companies, policies, receipts, etc.) is supposed.
On September, 23rd, 2008 the sixth Congress of Russian IТ-Directors (Russian CIO Summit - 2008) has finished the work in Moscow suburban hotel «Avantel ClubIstra». The organizer of the Congress was marketing agency of IT-industry "Fort-Ross". The status of the gold sponsor of the action was received by "Rostelecom", silver sponsors are IBA and IBM; magazine "PLUS" has acted as the information sponsor of the Congress.
On September, 25th, 2008 in Moscow hotel "Katerina", the Centre of Financial Technologies together with company NR have lead business-breakfast «Financial and economic management of bank: new tools and approaches».
On October, 8th, 2008, II forum "Data-processing centers" took place in Moscow hotel Marriott Tverskaya. The Company AHConferences has acted as the organizer of action, magazine "PLUS" - as the information partner.
The company Centre of Financial Technologies (CFT) has announced the launch of the specialized partner program «The Best Experts». The new program is directed on cooperation with separate developers and companies using «the CFT Platform of Development» for development of the businesses, and is called to accumulate the innovations and know-how saved up in the market, implemented on the basis of toolkit «the CFT - Platform of development».
On October, the 30, biometric conference AIA 2008 TTS « Transport and passenger systems» takes place in Moscow on October, 31st - there will take place the conference AIA 2008 LEGS «Passport and law-enforcement systems». The given actions will be organized within the limits of the conferences series BIOMETRICS AIA Conferences which are spent since 2002 and collect over 700 participants from 23 countries of the world. As the organizer of conferences will act DANCOM Group, as the branch partner - the European forum on Biometrics (EU, Ireland), magazine "PLUS" has received the status of the mediapartner.
On September, 30th, 2008 the press conference on the theme «Features of information security provision of credit and financial sphere in Russian Federation» took place in ITAR-TASS.
Interest rates on card and Internet accounts in Bank24.ru have grown since October, 8th, 2008.
On October, 2nd, 2008 in Moscow, there has taken place III All-Russia conference «Service-focused architecture SOA-2008», devoted to questions of introduction and use of the service-focused architecture. Company AHConferences has acted as the organizer of action, as the information partner - PLUS Journal.
Nizhniy Novgorod branch of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise (FSUE) «Post of Russia» and «Gorki railway» have started the project on sale of tickets in post offices.
The consortium of investors in structure of «Investment group Alrosa» and «Russian Railways» has signed the agreement on purchase of 90% of shares of investment bank KIT Finance.
In the spring 2008, the Taxes Ministry of the Azerbaijan Republic has placed in operation 15 computer terminals in regions of Azerbaijan. Functionality of the given devices allows carrying out of filling and delivery of tax declarations, spending tax payments, reception consulting services on legislation questions.
According to the Azerbaijan association of microfinancing (ААМ), within the last 10 years, the volume of the microcredits given by nonbank credit organizations and commercial banks of the country to representatives of small and average business, has made US$1.18 billion.
According to Association of clearing payments of Great Britain APACS, in 1 half-year 2008, losses of the bank industry from on-line banking fraud have grown on 185% and have achieved 21,4 million pounds sterling (about US$38 million).
10-10-08
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