Data security

A mishmash of lawmakers from different parties and committees are wading into the aftermath of Equifax’s megabreach, with some using it to advance their policy agendas while others are calling for possible criminal prosecution.

Banks should not point blame at the credit bureau but rather should step up and demonstrate their commitment to their customers. If you punt the problem to Equifax, it suggests you don’t really care.

Senate Finance Committee leaders sent a letter to Equifax CEO Richard Smith scrutinizing the scope of the company's data breach and its response.

Everybody say it with me, “Customer data is a liability.” And the Equifax breach shows why.

In order to compensate victims of the breach, Equifax is offering free credit monitoring services that include a mandatory arbitration clause, a measure Democrats were highlighting to lobby support for the CFPB's rule banning such clauses.

One lawsuit has already been filed against Equifax in the wake of its massive security failure. But that’s the just beginning of the consequences for the credit bureau and the banks that use it.

It's not just Equifax that needs to worry. The incident can and should be a turning point for the financial services industry, a warning that it needs to end its reliance on static personal identifiers.

Intruders accessed names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver’s license numbers in what could be one of the largest data intrusions.

From automated applications that borrowers can complete on their own, to data-mapping that speeds up the underwriting process, here's a look at strategies that can help lenders close loans faster.

Hackers infiltrated a DocuSign system and stole an undisclosed number of consumer email addresses, forcing mortgage companies, banks and other financial institutions to step up their monitoring of electronic signature and e-vault providers.

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to reinforce the country’s cybersecurity defenses, a move that financial institutions view as a positive step toward creating a more resilient financial system.

Large banks will gain the advantage in offering online mortgages because of their greater financial resources, pricing capabilities and cross-selling ability, Fitch Ratings said.

International Document Services has updated its idsDoc technology to support upcoming changes to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act reporting.

Ellie Mae has launched a new version of its Encompass mortgage management product, which features expanded support for construction loans and streamlined integrations with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have released the final specification update regarding the Uniform Closing Dataset, the digital file format for the TRID Closing Disclosure form.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has tapped Torrent Technologies as a direct service provider for the National Flood Insurance Program.

While depository mortgage lenders should exercise some caution before welcoming trended data and alternative credit scoring into their process, they must become inclusive or face losing market share to newer industry players like SoFi.

Data aggregation and analytics platform provider Envestnet-Yodlee has created a new automated mortgage asset verification product.

Personal information for roughly 480,000 people was exposed in two separate privacy incidents earlier this year involving the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's website.

Lenders and servicers haven't faced the same scrutiny over data security as their peers in retail and other financial services sectors. But mortgage companies must remain vigilant, as the extensive data they collect can expose consumers to identity theft if it got in the wrong hands.