» Publisher's Corner
Calvin D Johnson HOW SAFE ARE WE, REALLY?

TPAtlanta has spent a lot of effort over the time we have been coming to you focusing on key security issues, both data and physical, which are so very important to the Transaction Processing Industry. Why? Because all the good that hundreds or even thousands of employees might have accomplished for their companies and their customers can be undone in a heartbeat by a single innocent mistake by a colleague that leads to a serious breach of security!

Perhaps you heard about this latest bit of security news. I hope you took it to heart. Personal information belonging to 26.5 million U.S. veterans was recently seized following the theft of the data from the home of a government employee, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Maybe it resonated more with me because both my father and my brother are veterans and because I have a nephew that flies SeaHawk choppers for the Navy. But this story is important to all of us.

According to a message posted on the Veterans Affairs Department's web site, one of the department's data analysts violated procedure by taking home the information without authorization. The information was stored on a laptop, according to Avivah Litan, a security analyst for research firm Gartner. Law enforcement agencies have launched a search, the department said.

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Calvin D. Johnson, Publisher
publisher@tpatlanta.com
Trans Atlantic Systems, Inc.

   » Editorials/People

The Interchange Fee Debate:Issues and Economics 

Merchants are seeking relief from rising credit card fees, but the economics are complex and near-term resolution seems unlikely.
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Tidbits, Sound Bytes From UBS Payments Conference 

UBS held its fourth annual Electronic Payments Summit in New York on June 14, hosted by its senior Computer Services & IT Consulting analyst, Adam Frisch.
Click here for more
   » Profile
"M & As are the driving force"

Stuart Harvey

Stuart C Harvey Jr is President of Nova Information Systems and Chairman of euroConex Technologies. He has won laurels for successfully spearheading the company's international expansion and M&A initiatives. In a recent conversation with TPAtlanta.com, Mr. Harvey gets nostalgic about his journey so far with Nova and passionately talks about the road ahead….

Click here to read more.

   » Feature Story
How safe is your data?

Business people

According to recent reports C-Level executives around the world are starting to concentrate, with good reason, on the area of greatest risk regarding data theft-their own employees. Despite all the stories and scares about malicious hackers, computer criminals and destructive web worms, the biggest threat to the security of a company does not come from outside.

Click here to read more.

   » Earlier this week
Global Payments and AmeriMerchant Sign Service Agreement
Global Payments Inc announced an agreement with AmeriMerchant to provide end-to-end credit card processing services for their retail and restaurant merchant customers. Click here for more..

Google tests Web buying system
Google Inc, is testing a system that aims to speed purchases online but bears no resemblance to the popular PayPal payments service of Web auctioneer eBay.Click here for more..

"Cash Push" Into Prepaid Accounts Via ConveniaLoad
ConveniaLoad, an affiliate of Western Financial LLC has introduced a service that allows a consumer to make a cash deposit at a local branch of a major bank.Click here for more..

Merchants Welcome Investigation Into Interchange Fees
The Merchants Payments Coalition welcomes the decision of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, to investigate credit card companies' fee- setting practices.Click here for more..

Credit Card Fees Show No Mercy
As credit card fees rise with the cost of gasoline, c-stores are struggling to keep their heads above water.Click here for more..

TFConnectTM now includes Freight Payment & Audit Functionality
Top Flight Concepts LLC announces Freight Payment & Audit functionality within TFConnect(TM) to streamline carrier selection and review or audit freight charges.Click here for more..
   » Industry News
Global Payments is one of the Fastest-Growing Technology Companies
Global Payments Inc, today announced that it was recognized by Business 2.0 magazine as one of the 100 fastest-growing technology companies in the United States. Click here for more..

Congress breathes new life into data-security concerns
This week's disclosure of a massive data breach at the U.S. Veterans Administration gives momentum to legislation that would impose new penalties for poor data security.Click here for more..

First Data completes acquisition of German company
First Data International completed its acquisition of Germany-based GZS, a card-based payment-transactions processor.Click here for more..

Equifax Teams With The BANCServices Group, Inc.
Equifax formed a strategic alliance with The BANCServices Group, Inc. to provide Equifax Decision Power ExpressSM to financial institutions.Click here for more..

17 Financial Institutions Choose the BancPac™ Solution from Fidelity
Fidelity National Information Services announced that 17 financial institutions in 9 states signed contracts for the BancPacTM .Click here for more..

Insurity Teams With Microsoft to Advance Insurance Software and Services
Insurity, a ChoicePoint company announced a multiyear strategic alliance with Microsoft.Click here for more..

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TPAtlanta is both a digital newsletter dedicated to the Transaction Processing Industry in Atlanta and a networking association for that group. It is brought to you by Trans Atlantic Systems, a company specializing in IT work for the Transaction Processing industry. We believe that a collection of professionals as large as the one concentrated in Atlanta, engaged in Transaction Processing, needs a single source for information dedicated to their industry!

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