October 25, 2016
Federal Reserve's Secure Payments Task Force identifies key priorities, seeks comments
For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT
The 160-member task force convened by the Federal Reserve to advance the safety, security and resiliency of the national payment system is asking the industry for comments on its efforts to enhance payment identity management, data protection, and information sharing related to payments risk and fraud.
The Secure Payments Task Force has been working across payment industry segments to define challenges and develop potential solutions. An online survey has been created to gather comments on how the task force is addressing challenges related to the three focus areas. The goal is to help ensure that the solutions being pursued will meet industry needs. The survey will be open for comment through Tuesday, November 8.
"Tackling today's security challenges will require the commitment of all payment system participants," said Gordon Werkema, who, as Payments Strategy Director for the Federal Reserve System, is overseeing initiatives to make the national payment system faster and more secure. "The Secure Payments Task Force is particularly interested in understanding any barriers that may exist to implementing the planned solutions."
The work groups created by the Secure Payments Task Force to focus on the three priority areas are led by payment industry experts:
- Nancy O'Malley, Executive Vice President, Mastercard, who heads the Payment Identity Management Work Group.
- Reed Luhtanen, Senior Director Payments Strategy, Walmart, who heads the Data Protection Work Group.
- Glen Ulrich, Operations Executive, US Bank, who heads the Information Sharing Work Group.
For each of these focus areas, work group members have been meeting to document the current environment, the attributes of a more effective environment, the desired outcomes in each area, and the barriers to implementation of recommended solutions. A team of standards experts was established to support the work groups.
Todd Aadland, the Federal Reserve's Payments Security Strategy Leader, chairs the Secure Payments Task Force and stressed the importance of industry participants sharing their opinions as the effort moves forward.
"Payment security issues such as data breaches and identity theft affect everyone," Aadland said. "We encourage people who are knowledgeable about or interested in payment security to take the survey and share their thoughts."
More information about the survey and the work of the Secure Payments Task Force is available at www.FedPaymentsImprovement.org.
The Secure Payments Task Force is one of two Federal Reserve-convened task forces working to improve the payment system. The other is focused on identifying approaches for implementing safe and ubiquitous faster payment capabilities in the United States. Information about the Faster Payments Task Force can also be found at www.FedPaymentsImprovement.org.
Media Contacts:
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago:
Doug Tillett
312-322-5201 (O)
312-493-8088 (M)
[email protected]
Federal Reserve Board:
Susan Stawick
(202) 452-2955
[email protected]
NOTE TO MEDIA:
The following Federal Reserve senior officials will be available for interviews during the Money 20/20 Conference in Las Vegas, October 25, 26.
- Gordon Werkema, Payments Strategy Director for the Federal Reserve System;
- Todd Aadland, Payments Security Strategy Leader, and chair of the Secure Payments Task Force; and
- Connie Theien, Vice President CRSO Industry Relations.
Federal Reserve Booth: Exhibit Hall # 2946
Federal Reserve Meeting Room: Exhibit Hall # 3638