In celebration of 75 years safeguarding Americans’ money through FDIC-insured accounts, the agency launched an education campaign and an anniversary Web site - www.fdic.gov/anniversary.

The Automated Clearing House Network (ACH) is an electronic funds transfer process between bank accounts. ACH is most commonly used for direct deposit of payroll and Social Security payments, although an increasing number of companies make accounts payable and tax payments via ACH. Electronic transactions are governed by the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA).

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released a bulletin to remind national banks and their technology service providers that application security is an important component of their information security program. All applications, whether internally developed, vendor-acquired, or contracted for, should be subject to appropriate security risk assessment and mitigation processes.

Almost half of banking executives (49 percent) are concerned that recent credit issues will have an adverse impact on their bank, according to Grant Thornton LLP’s 15th Bank Executive Survey. Reflecting this concern, less than half (46 percent) of bankers participating in the survey have confidence in the appraisals supporting loans underwritten by their bank and just 22 percent expressed confidence in the appraisals supporting loans the bank purchases.