Mortgage Software Solutions Blog

The benefits of switching your mortgage company's servers and desktops to the cloud go beyond just joining the latest technology trends. You've no doubt heard plenty about the cloud over the last few years, with both positive and negative reactions. However, almost all of the negative reactions come from simple misunderstandings about cloud system capabilities. These days, cloud technology can not only do everything your old in-house servers and desktop computers can do, but they can do it more affordably, more securely, and with far more adaptable features.

In the last 18 months, the world has seen a sharp rise in cyber-attacks. Last year the term “data breach” became mainstream vernacular. In 2014, the Wall Street Journal devoted 1,102 articles related to data breaches up by more than 50% from the 470 articles from the previous year.  Thinking about how much financial data your mortgage firm deals with on a daily basis is enough to make your head spin. Because of this, you probably find yourself thinking about mortgage company security all the time. But if those concerns are keeping you up at night, it may be time to think more seriously about what kind of security you're using and whether it's really working to ward off cyber dangers.Last year, The Los Angeles Times did a piece about how vulnerable mortgage companies really are to the above threats. The report came from a cyber security firm called Halock Security Labs and an extensive study on mortgage lenders about their security vulnerabilities. In the report, the firm found that out of those surveyed, seven out of 10 mortgage firms sent digital data without proper encryption.

The 21st Century has seen huge advancements in technology, advancements that are changing the world and the ways we connect, communicate, and do business. But despite all these changes, many people in the mortgage industry believe that the advancements in technology don't matter to them because, all in all, their business hasn't changed. Why fix something that isn’t broken?

Creating a secure mobile workspace is more necessary than ever as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies become increasingly common in the modern workplace. In the mortgage industry, security is especially important, since your company is handling highly sensitive, private customer information every single day. When you start to handle that data from various devices, including mobile, it becomes imperative that your devices and data are being properly protected.

In today’s business climate, security and workforce needs are constantly changing. Like many other industries, the mortgage industry must face a whole slew of technological challenges, and they need solutions that have been adapted to those ever-changing trends.

Mortgage companies are now required to adhere to the same stringent regulations for protecting consumer data as banks. These regulations can add to the time it takes to process applications and increase the costs of training your staff on the proper handling of data. To avoid these wasteful expenses, Access Business Technologies has provided mortgage companies with a solution through our MortgageWorkSpace platform. This innovative platform allows mortgage companies to process applications and monitor current client information, while training employees and adjusting business practices to comply with the new regulations.

In the last 18 months, the world has seen a sharp rise in attacks on businesses, individuals and even government organizations by hackers using sophisticated malware. One of the most dangerous of all being Ransomware. If you've never heard of Ransomware, it basically hijacks your computer system and allows hackers to lock you out of your personal data until you pay a ransom. This may sound like something out of a movie, but unfortunately, it's not. Ransomware is very real, and it’s costing companies millions of dollars.

The recent hack on the U.S. Office Of Personnel Management (OPM), which was one of the most serious government cyber attacks of all time, teaches us all some lessons that the mortgage industry should take to heart.

Employee data security is no longer an option in the mortgage industry. It's a necessity. More employees than ever before in the mortgage industry are working from home, and branch offices are regularly moving between companies.  You don't want them moving your vaulable customer data with them.

Think about all of the different people who have the ability to access your company and customer data: employees, contractors, and even your very own mortgage officers. As employee data theft continues to become a mounting concern for mortgage companies, using foolproof cloud desktops is the best way to keep your data from walking out the door.