ST. PAUL, Minn. – David Townsend has been named Information Technology security risk manager for Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. In a statement, Townsend said you can think about information security from two perspectives: strengthening the borders, or reinforcing the core. As 2016 closed and 2017 dawns – with daily news about hacking and security risks – the credit union’s efforts will include both.
“Our priority is to strengthen our security awareness program,” Townsend said. “Security initiatives frequently focus on a fortress mentality, strengthening the perimeter defenses. That is important, but sometimes insufficient as most modern data breaches begin with the introduction of malware into the environment, generally via phishing. “Our goal is to leverage the solid foundation of existing work Affinity Plus has done, then mature the security controls and associated processes to take Affinity Plus to the next level."
Townsend’s role is an example of Affinity Plus’ continuing commitment to protecting member information, according to Cary Tonne, Information Technology senior vice president. Townsend joined Affinity Plus in autumn 2016 and has spent his first months at the credit union assessing threats, and launching those initiatives to protect member information and assets.