Switzerland – Noise

2024 FINMA ISAE 3000 Type II attestation report available with 179 services in scope

Tariro Dongo — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 23:07:49 +0000

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is pleased to announce the issuance of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) Type II attestation report with 179 services in scope. The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has published several requirements and guidelines about engaging with outsourced services for the regulated financial services customers in Switzerland. An independent […]

Prepare your AWS workloads for the “Operational risks and resilience – banks” FINMA Circular

Margo Cronin — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:48:47 +0000

In December 2022, FINMA, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, announced a fully revised circular called Operational risks and resilience – banks that will take effect on January 1, 2024. The circular will replace the Swiss Bankers Association’s Recommendations for Business Continuity Management (BCM), which is currently recognized as a minimum standard. The new circular […]

Security Vulnerability of Switzerland’s E-Voting System

Bruce Schneier — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:11:43 +0000

Online voting is insecure, period. This doesn’t stop organizations and governments from using it. (And for low-stakes elections, it’s probably fine.) Switzerland—not low stakes—uses online voting for national elections. Andrew Appel explains why it’s a bad idea:

Last year, I published a 5-part series about Switzerland’s e-voting system. Like any internet voting system, it has inherent security vulnerabilities: if there are malicious insiders, they can corrupt the vote count; and if thousands of voters’ computers are hacked by malware, the malware can change votes as they are transmitted. Switzerland “solves” the problem of malicious insiders in their printing office by officially declaring that they won’t consider that threat model in their cybersecurity assessment...

2022 FINMA ISAE 3000 Type II attestation report now available with 154 services in scope

Daniel Fuertes — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 18:41:34 +0000

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is pleased to announce the third issuance of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 Type II attestation report. The scope of the report covers a total of 154 services and 24 global AWS Regions. The latest FINMA ISAE 3000 Type II report covers […]

AWS User Guide to Financial Services Regulations and Guidelines in Switzerland and FINMA workbooks publications

Margo Cronin — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:10:01 +0000

AWS is pleased to announce the publication of the AWS User Guide to Financial Services Regulations and Guidelines in Switzerland whitepaper and workbooks. This guide refers to certain rules applicable to financial institutions in Switzerland, including banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges, securities dealers, portfolio managers, trustees and other financial entities which are overseen (directly or […]

2021 FINMA ISAE 3000 Type 2 attestation report for Switzerland now available on AWS Artifact

Niyaz Noor — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 18:47:53 +0000

AWS is pleased to announce the issuance of a second Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) ISAE 3000 Type 2 attestation report. The latest report covers the period from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, with a total of 141 AWS services and 23 global AWS Regions included in the scope. A full list of certified services […]

AWS publishes FINMA ISAE 3000 Type 2 attestation report for the Swiss financial industry

Niyaz Noor — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 17:47:54 +0000

Gaining and maintaining customer trust is an ongoing commitment at Amazon Web Services (AWS). Our customers’ industry security requirements drive the scope and portfolio of compliance reports, attestations, and certifications we pursue. Following up on our announcement in November 2020 of the new EU (Zurich) Region, AWS is pleased to announce the issuance of the […]

Swiss-Swedish Diplomatic Row Over Crypto AG

Bruce Schneier — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 11:11:31 +0000

Previously I have written about the Swedish-owned Swiss-based cryptographic hardware company: Crypto AG. It was a CIA-owned Cold War operation for decades. Today it is called Crypto International, still based in Switzerland but owned by a Swedish company.

It’s back in the news:

Late last week, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said she had canceled a meeting with her Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis slated for this month after Switzerland placed an export ban on Crypto International, a Swiss-based and Swedish-owned cybersecurity company.

The ban was imposed while Swiss authorities examine long-running and explosive claims that a previous incarnation of Crypto International, Crypto AG, was little more than a front for U.S. intelligence-gathering during the Cold War...