Managed IT and Cybersecurity for Banks and Credit Unions
A community bank or credit union runs on a few systems that cannot stop: the core, online and mobile banking, the branch network and email. Regulators expect each one protected, monitored and recoverable, and they expect you to oversee every technology provider that touches them, including us. NetSys provides managed IT and cybersecurity for banks and credit unions, from the help desk and the branch network to 24/7 monitoring, tested backups and incident response.
The short answer
NetSys provides managed IT and cybersecurity for banks and credit unions: a help desk, 24/7 monitoring with managed detection and response, MFA, email protection against wire fraud, immutable backups with tested restores, penetration testing and a vCISO who reports to the board. Regulators hold the institution responsible for its IT providers, so any provider, us included, should agree in writing what it runs, how fast it reports an incident and what evidence it hands over.
What banking regulators expect from your IT provider
Regulators hold the institution responsible for its providers. Banks must vet service providers, bind them by contract to appropriate security and monitor them as risk warrants; NCUA's Appendix A asks the same of credit unions. A bank service provider must notify the bank as soon as possible when an incident materially disrupts covered services for four or more hours.
Sound familiar?
- Branch networks, phones and security systems run by different vendors, with nobody owning the whole picture
- Wire and ACH instructions changed by email, with no call-back check before the money moves
- Old administrator accounts and shared logins that a security review would flag
- Backups that have never been restored, so the recovery time in the plan is a guess
- An incident response plan that does not say who tells the regulator, or by when
- Due diligence files on IT providers that nobody has updated in years
What we deliver for banks and credit unions
Security Operations
- 24/7 monitoring of endpoints, identities and email, with an engineer acting on alerts
- Managed endpoint detection and response on every device
- Multi-factor authentication and identity hardening across staff accounts
- Email threat protection against wire fraud and business email compromise
Resilience and Recovery
- Immutable backups with scheduled restore testing
- Incident response and disaster recovery planning, tested rather than assumed
- A free external penetration test, then deeper testing scoped separately
- Penetration testing that is AI-driven, with every finding verified by an engineer
Governance for the Board
- vCISO leadership: security strategy, roadmap and budget
- Risk assessments and written security policies
- Board-level reporting on a monthly or quarterly cadence
- Security awareness training and phishing simulations for staff
Branch and Back-Office IT
- A help desk staffed seven days a week, 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern, with emergency service 24/7
- On-site engineers across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, the Hudson Valley, North Jersey and Fairfield County
- Microsoft 365 managed and secured, with staff laptops enrolled in Intune
- Month-to-month terms with no long-term contract
Confidentiality by Default
- Client identities never used in marketing or case studies
- Engagement details stay between us and your institution
- References arranged privately, subject to client consent
Bank and credit union rules that reach your IT
Your charter decides who examines you, but the core duties are shared: a written security program, oversight of every provider and fast incident notice. Your compliance officer and counsel decide how each rule applies; we build the controls and keep the evidence.
Computer-Security Incident Notification Rule (12 CFR parts 53, 225 and 304)
Since May 1, 2022, a bank must notify its primary federal regulator, the OCC, Federal Reserve or FDIC, as soon as possible and no later than 36 hours after it determines that a notification incident has occurred. Its bank service providers must notify a bank-designated contact as soon as possible when an incident has materially disrupted, or is reasonably likely to materially disrupt, covered services for four or more hours.
NCUA cyber incident reporting (12 CFR 748.1(c))
Since September 1, 2023, a federally insured credit union must report a reportable cyber incident to the NCUA within 72 hours of reasonably believing it occurred. For a compromise at a CUSO, cloud provider or other third party, the 72 hours run from the credit union's own belief or the third party's notice, whichever comes first. The NCUA takes reports at cyberreports.ncua.gov or 1-833-CYBERCU.
Interagency Guidelines Establishing Information Security Standards
These GLBA guidelines require every bank to run a comprehensive written information security program, approved by the board or a board committee, with a report to the board at least once a year. Section III.D requires due diligence in choosing service providers, contracts that bind them to appropriate security measures and, where the risk assessment calls for it, monitoring through audits or test results.
NCUA security program (12 CFR 748.0 and Part 748, Appendix A)
Every federally insured credit union needs a written security program. Appendix A, the credit union counterpart of the GLBA guidelines, says a credit union should vet its service providers, require appropriate safeguards by contract and monitor them where its risk assessment indicates. NCUA letters 01-CU-20 and 07-CU-13 on third-party due diligence remain active.
Third-party risk guidance: the 2023 version and the 2026 proposal
The 2023 interagency guidance says using a third party does not diminish a bank's responsibility: the bank answers for the work as if it were done in-house. The guidance covers due diligence, contracts, monitoring and termination. On September 15, 2026, the OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC and NCUA proposed replacing it with risk-based guidance that also covers insured credit unions. Comments are due November 16, 2026; until a final version is issued, the 2023 guidance stands.
FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool, retired August 31, 2025
The FFIEC retired the CAT on August 31, 2025 and pointed institutions to NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, CISA's Cybersecurity Performance Goals and industry tools such as the CRI Profile and the CIS Controls. The FFIEC and the Federal Reserve endorse no single tool, and the OCC encourages but does not require a standardized approach. The FFIEC IT Examination Handbook's Information Security booklet, with its section on managed security service providers, is still published.
NYDFS Part 500 for New York-chartered institutions
Banks, savings banks and credit unions chartered under New York's Banking Law are covered entities under 23 NYCRR 500. They report cybersecurity incidents to DFS within 72 hours and file a certification of compliance, or an acknowledgment of noncompliance, by April 15 each year. Since November 1, 2025, they also need MFA for everyone who accesses their information systems and a documented asset inventory.
Connecticut Public Act 26-51, and New Jersey
From October 1, 2026, Connecticut banks and credit unions, among others, must adopt a written data security program consistent with federal GLBA rules. Connecticut banks, Connecticut credit unions and Department of Banking licensees must notify the Department within three business days of knowing, or having reason to know, of a qualifying data security incident. New Jersey's banking regulator, DOBI, has issued cybersecurity guidance rather than a rule like Part 500, so state-chartered institutions there work to the federal rules above.
This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations with counsel.
Work we have done for clients in related fields
- Wealth management
RIA firm
Barracuda email protection for 117 licensed users, email archiving, cybersecurity monitoring, and account access management.
Cybersecurity for Financial ServicesIT for RIAs and Wealth Management
- Insurance
Insurance brokerage relocating its headquarters
Deployment of 40 workstations, installation of 60 network drops, firewall setup, and office Wi-Fi configuration.
Office Relocation IT ServicesIT for Insurance Agencies and Brokers
- Insurance
Regional title insurance company
Barracuda email protection for 85 users, phishing simulations, employee security training, and MFA deployment.
Security Awareness & Phishing TrainingIT for Insurance Agencies and Brokers
- Accounting firms
Corporate accounting firm
Migration of 2 TB of business data to Azure, secure remote access for 42 employees, and backup and recovery configuration.
Client names are withheld. Each card is the scope of a real NetSys engagement, as delivered.
Banks and Credit Unions IT FAQs
Do you provide managed IT services for financial institutions like banks and credit unions?
Yes. We provide managed IT and cybersecurity for banks and credit unions: the help desk, branch and back-office devices, Microsoft 365, 24/7 monitoring with managed detection and response, email protection, tested backups, penetration testing and vCISO leadership. Your core and digital banking providers support their own platforms; we run the devices, network, identities and security around them. We never name our clients.
How fast must a bank or credit union report a cyber incident?
It depends on the charter. A bank must notify its primary federal regulator within 36 hours of determining that a notification incident has occurred. A federally insured credit union must report a reportable cyber incident to the NCUA within 72 hours. New York-chartered institutions also notify DFS within 72 hours, and Connecticut banks and credit unions notify the Department of Banking within three business days. Your incident response plan should name who makes each call.
When must an IT provider notify a bank about an incident?
Under the Computer-Security Incident Notification Rule, a bank service provider must notify each affected bank as soon as possible when an incident has materially disrupted or degraded, or is reasonably likely to, covered services for four or more hours. Covered services are those subject to the Bank Service Company Act. Notice goes to the contact the bank designates, or to its CEO and CIO if it has not named one. Scheduled maintenance, testing or updates the bank was told about in advance do not count.
What should a contract with a bank's IT provider cover?
The Interagency Guidelines require banks to bind service providers by contract to appropriate security measures. The 2023 third-party guidance lists what such contracts typically address: performance standards, the right to audit and require fixes, confidentiality, timely notice of security breaches, business continuity, subcontracting, termination, and the provider's work being subject to regulatory examination. Ask any provider, us included, for these terms in writing before work starts.
What replaced the FFIEC Cybersecurity Assessment Tool?
No single tool. The FFIEC retired the CAT on August 31, 2025 and pointed institutions to NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, CISA's Cybersecurity Performance Goals, and industry tools such as the CRI Profile and the CIS Controls. The OCC's cybersecurity work program, updated in September 2026, follows NIST CSF categories, which makes that framework a practical choice. Our vCISO can map your existing controls to whichever framework you adopt.
Does NYDFS Part 500 apply to banks and credit unions?
It applies to banks, savings banks and credit unions chartered under New York's Banking Law, because Part 500 covers any entity operating under a Banking Law charter, even when a federal agency also regulates it. A national bank or federal credit union is not covered through its charter. Very small institutions may qualify for a limited exemption, which still requires MFA for remote access, privileged accounts and third-party apps holding nonpublic information.
Do you replace our internal IT staff?
Not necessarily. Many institutions keep an internal IT officer and add us for the help desk, after-hours monitoring, security operations or vCISO leadership; others hand us the whole environment. Either way, we agree in writing who owns each system and control before work begins, so your board and examiners can see where responsibility sits.
How is managed IT priced for a bank or credit union?
Per user per month, on month-to-month terms with no long-term contract. Branch count, devices, the security services in scope, such as 24/7 managed detection and response or vCISO time, and project work like penetration testing beyond the free external test set the figure. The managed IT pricing page shows how a quote is built.
Guides for bank and credit union leaders
- IT for other financial firms: CPA firms, hedge funds and advisers
- Cybersecurity for financial services
- NYDFS Part 500 compliance for New York institutions
- vCISO leadership and board reporting
- NIST CSF 2.0 implementation, the common framework after the CAT
- Co-managed IT alongside an internal IT officer
- Managed detection and response, watched around the clock
- Incident response planning and support
- Disaster recovery and tested backups
- Penetration testing and the free external test
- Email security against wire fraud and impersonation
- Vendor risk management: vetting and monitoring providers
- Cybersecurity tabletop exercises: 10 questions
- How managed IT pricing is built
Other industries we support
Services behind this work
Bring your branch list and your open IT findings.
Tell us your branches, staff and device counts, your core and online banking providers, and the findings or deadlines in front of you. Request an engineer call about support, security or a provider change; no passwords or member data are needed for that first conversation.