on the independent NIST scale and increasing compliance with BNP Paribas Group standards,
IT and cybersecurity
The year 2021 in the Area of New Technologies and Cyber Security was a year of dynamic changes – the most challenging task was to achieve the Bank’s agile transformation objectives while implementing changes resulting from the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
2021 was also a year of design and preparation for large-scale investments to be made in the coming years and aligned with the Bank’s strategic priorities.
In 2021, in response to the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, a number of actions were taken to:
responding to the migration of customers to digital channels, while providing a best-in-class user experience for business customers,
on which all the new applications being deployed and the entire GO ecosystem run,
for selected non-production environments to ensure maximum levels of automation and access to the latest services,
through the continuous evolution of digital working environment solutions and the hot-desk model.
The most important IT projects completed in each area in 2021
INITIATIVES FOR BUSINESS LINES
- Developing the GOmobile application and the GOonline environment with new functionalities and services:
- myID – possibility to confirm identity online, including creation of a Trusted Profile
- possibility to repay loans from an account in another bank
- self-service functions such as generating bank confirmations
- Development of the GOone application supporting customer service at Branches and Contact Centres with new capabilities such as:
- mechanism for digital signing of bank documents
- Mobile onboarding process for new groups of customers
- GObetter – a new system for handling bank complaints
- Digital Product Center – expansion of functionality for GOonline customers in relation to regulator requirements: PFR Financial Shield, 500+ and Good Start applications
- Launch of GOinvest system to support advisers in the digital handling of investment products for clients
- Implementation of new electronic banking GOonlineBiznes and GOmobileBiznes
- Credit Process – implementation of a new eTermsheet application for the SME segment, which automates the drafting and approval of credit decisions, preparation of credit documentation and monitoring of contract terms and conditions
- Onboarding and post-sales services – implementation of a solution for handling the beneficial owner’s VAT documents
- Syndicated loans – launch of a new tool to automate syndicated loans
- Continuous development of FX PL@NET with new functionalities, such as:
- 24/7 functionality
- notifications on limit utilisation
- Multiforward transaction
- presentation of exchange rates for customers without a bank account
- Development of the GOFx trading platform – new functionalities: faster access to exchange rates, ability to split transactions
- Development of the FXPLUS trading platform to support foreign payments for clients without accounts in these foreign currencies, including exotic ones
- Implementation of a new product – Fixed Rate Loan – through the use of the IR CAP mechanism, customers have the opportunity to hedge loans against interest rate increases
PROJECTS RELATED TO THE BANK’S DAILY OPERATIONS
- BigData – development and improvements of the Hadoop platform, including optimisation of DSA (Data Storage Area) data management processes allowing for a 30% reduction in storage occupancy
- Implementation of central SMS integration – a set of services was made available allowing for comprehensive handling of the Bank’s communication with customers via SMS
- SWIFT complaint analysis – shortening the SWIFT complaint handling time by 80% thanks to the use of AI and Big Data algorithms automating the process of analysis and verification of complaint notifications – the system analyses SWIFT messages on a daily basis, indicates the path for their handling on an ongoing basis, and handles and closes some of them on its own
- Implementation of a new mobile application to support HR processes in the Bank
- New hardware platform for banking systems – modern, virtualized, automated and scalable
- IT monitoring – increase the number of applications covered by IT monitoring
- Optimisation of the database refresh process on test environments
- I can do IT – training programme for workers 50+
- Coordination of the Bank Security Committee’s activities related to crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring maximum protection for the Bank’s employees and clients
- Secure ICT environment adjusted to the possibility of remote work in continuous mode for all Bank employees
- ISO27001 certification in the area of Security – confirmed by a supervision audit
- Enhanced security monitoring of SOC for Linux servers and databases
- Improving security in the software development cycle
- Extending the scope of privileged identity management in the CyberArk system
- Red Teaming exercises proving aspects of physical security and social engineering methodologies
- Continuation of the campaign addressed to the Bank’s employees concerning phishing, i.e. a fraud method in which an offender impersonates another person or institution in order to extort confidential information (e.g. log-in details, credit card data), to infect the computer with malware or to persuade the victim to perform certain actions
- Building awareness of cyber security threats and solutions among Employees and Customers:
- As every year, the organisation of the Cybersecurity campaign, which aims to raise awareness among Bank employees on security aspects
- A series of webinars for Bank employees from „sensitive population” groups,
- Webinars for Bank employees on security in cloud computing
- Customer awareness „red light” campaign on Facebook – 10 videos and educational articles
- Call centre workshops on handling e-banking fraud scenarios
- E-learning training session „How to be safe in the Bank”