FFIEC
At Access Point, we offer comprehensive expertise in the regulatory guidelines set forth by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). Our goal is to guarantee complete FFIEC compliance throughout your organization, allowing you to focus on your organization’s fundamental objectives. By entrusting your FFIEC compliance responsibilities to us, your organization can realize substantial benefits, as this approach is more economical than sustaining an internal compliance team.
Our Approach
Because the enforcement of FFIEC compliance comes from outside your company, this validation approach can enhance trust and credibility with stakeholders and regulatory bodies, showcasing a responsible approach to safeguarding sensitive financial information. Our approach follows three central tenets:
Transparency
Transparency is foundational to our approach to FFIEC compliance at Access Point. We prioritize reporting all findings, regardless of their nature, to provide you with a thorough understanding of your compliance status. Our comprehensive and honest assessments empower you to make informed decisions regarding FFIEC compliance initiatives. Additionally, we offer metrics to help you showcase the effectiveness of your compliance program.
Leadership
The increase in regulatory demands within the financial sector has amplified the industry's exposure to investigations, emphasizing the necessity of a robust FFIEC compliance program. Effective compliance leadership acts as a vital asset in overseeing and managing the complexities of the FFIEC compliance program on a daily basis. Through guidance and the implementation of best practices, our strong compliance leadership shields your organization from regulatory issues while ensuring continuous compliance with FFIEC regulations.
Collaboration
We adopt a collaborative approach to steer your organization towards FFIEC compliance, harnessing the collective expertise of multiple Access Point departments. Through synergistic collaboration, we ensure your systems adhere to the requisite regulations and standards. Our Compliance team aids other internal departments by staying updated on regulatory changes, industry standards, and emerging threats, fostering alignment and awareness. This collaborative effort enables us to leverage our strengths collectively, delivering optimal outcomes for our clients.
Program Deliverables
Policy Development & Implementation
Policies are high-level statements of intention that set the expectations for meeting the organizational objectives (e.g. “We will encrypt data at rest, in use and in transit”). Access Point can assess current policies, identify any gaps, and assist with implementing and socializing the new policies to ensure they adhere to the proper regulations.
Awareness & Training
As technology continues to evolve so does the volume and variety of cyber threats and attacks. In addition, with more than 300 million people now working remotely, insider threats can cost companies an average of $7.5 million annually. Access Point can help organizations promote a cybersecurity awareness culture by implementing continuous training and educating staff, contractors, and third parties on the risk they could pose to the company through their daily activities.
Audit Readiness
Achieving audit readiness can be challenging due to the ever-changing landscape of complex cyber and privacy laws and regulatory requirements. Access Point will review your organization’s administrative, technical, and physical controls against security control frameworks to ensure they are compliant with relevant regulatory and legal statutes. Our team will provide clients with detailed reports outlining compliance status and will include recommended actions.
IT General Controls (ITGCs) Assessment
To support IT applications, it is important to have the appropriate controls in place to ensure that applications are working as intended. The areas of focus for ITGCs are Access Control, Change Management, DevOps, and Program Management. Access Point can perform an overall assessment of the management controls in the organization’s environment to determine if and where there are gaps. Our services ensure that systems, processes, and procedures are aligned with the current controls and operate effectively.
An Overview of FFIEC
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) is a formal interagency body empowered to prescribe uniform principles, standards, and report forms for the federal examination of financial institutions by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). It was established in 1979 to promote uniformity and consistency in the supervision of financial institutions. The FFIEC also makes recommendations to promote uniformity in the supervision of financial institutions, develops uniform reporting systems, and conducts schools for examiners.
The FFIEC issues various guidelines and standards related to the management of risks in the financial services sector, including those pertaining to cybersecurity, IT management, and other aspects of operational risk. One key set of guidelines issued by the FFIEC is the IT Examination Handbook, which provides guidance on the principles of sound information technology risk management and safety and soundness for examiners and financial institutions.
The Privacy Rule establishes standards for the protection of individuals' medical records and other personal health information
