Tech Talk: BNPL, ATMs, AI, and more!

• CFPB to treat BNPL like credit cards
• Using AI to battle fraudsters
• Where instant payments are headed
• Gen Z still wants bank branches
• AI banking led by chatbots
• GenAI challenges in fintech
• Digital-first to populate ‘banking deserts’
• What's the future of ATMs, ITMs?
• Technology is reshaping financial services
• Spam, Scams & Breaches
• Updates, Patches & Alerts
• and on the lighter side...

CFPB to treat BNPL like credit cards
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a new rule Wednesday saying that buy now, pay later companies are credit card providers, and must provide similar consumer protections as credit cards, according to an agency press release. Banking Dive has the details.

Using AI to battle fraudsters
AI is one of the best tools credit card networks have in their battle against fraud, but there are also steps you can take to protect yourself. CNET has the details.

Where instant payments are headed
Amid the hype about the FedNow® Service approaching its one-year mark, instant payments may finally be settling down into more grounded territory, specifically, liquidity, competitive advantage and the customer experience. PYMNTS.com has the details.

Gen Z still wants bank branches
As payments company Block’s peer-to-peer tool Cash App seeks to entice its users to use the mobile app for banking services, it may run into one surprising hurdle: Many consumers still want to go into a physical bank branch. Banking Dive has the details.

AI banking led by chatbots
Banks and financial institutions have found many ways to integrate AI in recent years. Some examples include integrating back-end data processing, helping support staff handle customer issues and chatbots. The chatbots are leading the way. ATM Marketplace has the details.

GenAI challenges in fintech
No one wants to be the next big headline due to an AI malfunction, but fintech companies may need to exercise more caution to stay ahead of such scenarios with the SEC reporting requirements. Help Net Security has the details.

Digital-first to populate ‘banking deserts’
The Federal Reserve said in a recent blog post that in some cases, “banking deserts” have emerged, impacting 12 million individuals in the U.S. The Fed has drawn up a “map” that denotes where those deserts are. Digital banks can help. PYMNTS.com has the details.

What's the future of ATMs, ITMs?
The ATM of the future will be a multifunctional banking kiosk. As banks continue to digitally transform their operations, the question is how ATMs fit into this strategy. Could it be a case of ATMs disappearing off high streets, like bank branches have, or can financial services institutions look at ways to evolve these devices and adapt them to the changing tides? ATM Marketplace has the details.

Technology is reshaping financial services
Despite some easing of the pace at which fintech investments are being made, there remains no shortage of investor optimism in the space and every reason to expect that fintech will continue to help define how the wider financial services sector evolves across the current decade and beyond. Finextra has the details.

Spams, Scams, and Breaches

• Help Net Security: 2024 sees continued increase in ransomware activity
• PYMNTS.com: SEC: Data Breaches at FIs Must Be Reported in 30 Days
• Help Net Security: Ransomware fallout: 94% experience downtime, 40% face work stoppage
• TechCrunch: Healthcare company WebTPA discloses breach affecting 2.5 million people
• SecurityWeek: 2.4 Million Impacted by WebTPA Data Breach
• Help Net Security: SEC requires financial institutions to notify customers of breaches within 30 days
• SecurityWeek: MediSecure Data Breach Impacts Patient and Healthcare Provider Information
• PYMNTS.com: DOJ Charges 2 With Money Laundering in ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams

Updates, Patches, and Alerts...

• US-CERT: Current Activity
• SecurityWeek: Ivanti Patches Critical Code Execution Vulnerabilities in Endpoint Manager
• Dark Reading: Android Banking Trojan Antidot Disguised as Google Play Update
• SecurityWeek: CISA Warns of Attacks Exploiting NextGen Healthcare Mirth Connect Flaw
• PCWorld: Firefox 126 is here: More security, less tracking, and faster Facebook
• SecurityWeek: Critical Vulnerability in Honeywell Virtual Controller Allows Remote Code Execution
• SecurityWeek: Chrome 125 Update Patches High-Severity Vulnerabilities
• TechCrunch: Conservative cell carrier Patriot Mobile hit by data breach
• SecurityWeek: QNAP Rushes Patch for Code Execution Flaw in NAS Devices
• SecurityWeek: New 'Antidot' Android Trojan Allows Cybercriminals to Hack Devices, Steal Data
• Dark Reading: Microsoft Has Yet to Patch 7 Pwn2Own Zero-Days
• SecurityWeek: Vulnerability Found in Fluent Bit Utility Used by Major Cloud, Tech Companies

See what other current hot cyber and technology topics affecting financial institutions BOL users are discussing in the Technology Forum.

And on the lighter side...

Watch just some of them. Watch all of them. This is a compilation of First Bank's funniest commercials.