Mortgage Software Solutions Blog

Credit unions and mortgage companies are entrusted with some of clients’ most private information. From social security numbers to bank statements, it’s imperative that those companies are taking measured steps to protect borrowers and their private documents from cybersecurity threats.Often the borrowers themselves place their information in jeopardy when they send non-public information via unencrypted emails. This places many lenders in a predicament. Somehow, they must maintain trust, security, and compliance, without sacrificing client efficiency and convenience. Though achieving this balance was once a problem for mortgage companies, there is now a tool available that can do just that: DocumentGuardian. 

Here are five ways DocumentGuardian can help mortgage companies protect their borrowers and maintain regulatory compliance with ease.

• Encourages Better Borrower Habits

The mortgage lending process requires borrowers to supply loan officers with a great deal of private and sensitive information. Unfortunately, most borrowers aren’t thinking about their own cybersecurity when they send that information. They often assume that because they are sending these files to a trusted source, their files are in good hands. 

These bad habits can not only result in borrowers’ information being intercepted or stolen, but they can also reflect poorly on the mortgage companies involved. When lenders are audited, government agencies blame them for any client-produced security blunders, and this blame isn't entirely misplaced. With pressure from customers and looming deadlines, some lenders are tempted to take careless security risks.

Responsible loan officers educate their clients on what they can and cannot send via unsecured email. After educating customers on the importance of sending non-public personal information (NPI) through secure means, lenders can use DocumentGuardian to provide them with an easy solution that encourages better security habits from the start.

• Eases Pain Points

The truth is, customers are more concerned with avoiding pain points and inconvenience than they are with complying with regulations. So, it’s up to mortgage companies to ease any potential pain points, while still protecting their borrowers and maintaining compliance. Solutions like DocumentGuardian supply both mortgage companies and borrowers with a tool that makes sending and receiving client documents safe and easy, reducing the numerous clicks, passwords, and log-ins typically involved in secure transactions. 

DocumentGuardian offers clients a simple-to-use interface that allows them to securely send documents and information, eliminating their pain points and yours.

To use the feature, mortgage officers supply customers with a link to a private, secure webpage. For easy customer access, this link can even be included in the loan officer's email signature. The customer opens the link, without needing any logins or complicated passwords. Then, they simply drag and drop their documents to the secure web page. 

• Stores Information Securely in the Cloud

Once the files are scanned for viruses, DocumentGuardian stores them in secure Cloud data centers, not on mobile apps or desktop hard drives where there is an increased risk of files being hacked. For this reason, compliance auditors prefer secure Cloud storage to file-sharing apps.

Secure storage benefits mortgage companies because there is no need to download additional software or security updates, and there is an added layer of protection that safeguards sensitive information. As part of the MortgageWorkspace suite of services, DocumentGuardian regularly updates to stay within regulatory compliance and to adapt to changing security demands. 

• Transfers, Downloads, and Uploads Encrypted Files

When clients send NPI through open, unsecured connections, they run the risk of man-in-the-middle security breaches, among other types of attacks. During this type of breach, the hacker is able to monitor traffic and even intercept or compromise messages, such as emails. 

DocumentGuardian technology doesn't require a login. Instead, clients drag and drop their documents into a secure web page (click to view a sample page) through the link you have supplied. The documents are then uploaded to your secure file on the cloud. This completely eliminates the opportunity for hackers to read messages as they are sent and received. 

From there, the SSL 256-bit encrypted documents are accessed as needed. You are able to manage and further secure documents by setting an expiration date for documents that are only needed temporarily. 

• Track and Record Activity

Once files are uploaded, the client gets a receipt that documents the transaction. On the lender side, all activity on the secure web page is logged and archived. In the event of an audit, this information is readily available.

 For most mortgage customers, few things are more daunting than complex paperwork. Ease customer pain points by supplying your clients with familiar drag-and-drop options. When the process is easier for them, it is easier for you too. DocumentGuardian is available to any user of MortgageWorkSpace. For more information on DocumentGuardian, the latest addition to ABT’s MortgageWorkSpace platform, please contact us.