FMT Octopus third-party data integration fact sheet

Overview
Connectivity to credit bureau, data sources and services companies is critical for businesses making real-time decisions about their online customers. Using a vendor-neutral platform for integrating data profiling, matching, monitoring and verifying services lets organisations more effectively control and manage their strategies for using the information and associated services.

Every online transaction poses risks. Preventing losses before they occur can depend on the accuracy of decisions made before a transaction concludes. Accessing vital personal, commercial and financial information from various data bureaus helps provide businesses the sense of confidence required to prevent fraud while profiting from high-risk products and services.

Organisations providing data services regularly face integration issues. Getting their solutions installed quickly and cost-effectively is required to remain competitive in today's fast-paced business environment.

Easily and reliably implementing data services is essential for companies to immediately begin mitigating risks and complying with regulatory requirements for "knowing" online virtual customers.

About FMT Octopus
FMT Octopus™ is an infrastructure layer middleware plug-in that provides a vendor-neutral integration platform that out-of-the-box interoperates with a wealth of data services and is easily extensible to incorporate new ones. The platform allows organisations faster and easier access to vital information. By better understanding online customers, companies can ensure they consistently gather valuable and meaningful data in a timely manner.

It easily integrates third-party data services, such as credit bureau, geo location, fraud and security data look-ups, as well as other data verification services. The platform significantly improves implementation time frames and provides a single interface to connect, control and manage data sources. The software also delivers a wealth of additional capabilities to give organisations a competitive advantage that differentiates them in the marketplace.

FMT Octopus unobtrusively captures client information via a preprocessing filter. Before allowing access to an e-application, the software non-intrusively examines all customer data contained in every online request. Installing the front-end platform can take as little as a couple of hours and requires no APIs or code changes to existing applications.

FMT Octopus Advantages
Expand value-added solution offerings. Organisations are partnering with FMT to expand their base of value-added products and ease integration of their solutions. Using FMT Octopus to easily interoperate with transaction and third-party data sources can differentiate their offerings and help them remain competitive in the marketplace.

Access data from a variety of sources. Obtaining information from internal company databases and integrating it with various external data sources is a challenge many businesses face. Gaining access through FMT Octopus to capture information can increase the value of data repositories.

Provide blacklist/database look-ups. FMT Octopus can view session data and device IDs before any information reaches the application. This enables companies to assess risk and make a real-time decision even before the application process begins. The action taken depends on numerous factors from the Internet point of entry, including geo location, domain, IP address, ISP, browser type, language pack, cookies, screen resolution, etc. Because these data elements are not dependent upon customer input, businesses can automatically store and reference this data to make smarter real-time decisions earlier in the transaction process.

Block incoming IP addresses posing threats and maps addresses to reverse DNS and/or IP blacklists. FMT can use a reverse DNS look-up to compare an IP address against block lists (e.g. spamhaus.org). This enables the detection of "zombie" and other systems that are known to be compromised. Action taken depends upon an organisation's own rules and can run the gamut from redirecting a user to an information/warning page to blocking transactions completely.

Move toward legal compliance. Observing governmental and regulatory guidelines is critical for businesses bound by restrictions on the sale of their goods and services. By tailoring content and website pages according to jurisdiction, companies can improve customer satisfaction and reduce the likelihood of penalties imposed from lack of compliance with FFIEC, HIPPA, SOX, Red Flags, etc.

Export data to a database. FMT Octopus provides a simple to use rules editor to export a wide array of variables to a named CSV file or inserts records directly into a table in an existing database, which can subsequently be used in a data warehouse or case management system for analysis or action.

Capture information between a browser and Web application. FMT Octopus accesses all data passing between the application and a user's browser. With this wealth of current session data, along with all historical data from past client sessions, businesses can more effectively determine whether or not a transaction should be deemed risky.

View customer information before they access a Web application. FMT Octopus can view session data before any of it reaches the application. This enables companies to assess risk and make a real-time decision even before the application process begins. Because these data elements are not dependent upon customer input, businesses can automatically store and reference this data to make smarter real-time decisions earlier in the transaction process.

Keep a history of users' past behavior. FMT Octopus can use a "history recorder" to detect, store and retrieve historical data from each client device. Multiple variables can be captured in real time using a CSV list of variable names. The captured geo location data is a valuable addition to an online customer profile.

Add a layer of security to reduce losses. FMT Octopus delivers an additional layer of Web application security. Users can be prevented from accessing applications until they are verified as legitimate customers and losses are prevented before damage ever occurs.

Protect sensitive online information. By authenticating customers prior to their accessing private information, FMT Octopus helps prevent data breaches and the resulting fallout from the release of compromised information.

Increase trust and confidence for brand reputation strength. Once data has been verified, both customers and companies can more confidently transact online. Once a customer has been unobtrusively vetted in real time, companies can increase trust and confidence in offering higher-risk services and products previously deemed too risky. Satisfied, loyal customers and increased profitability result.

Targeted marketing. FMT Octopus can customise content based upon a user's locale to improve marketing success and profitability. By capturing a wealth of information, the solution dynamically delivers website content designed to increase customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty.

Provide a user-friendly interface. The software delivers industry-specific out-of-the-box policies and drag-and-drop rules creation. It requires limited IT expertise, with business staff easily able to use it and create changes.

Quick deployment and reduced costly and disruptive changes. FMT Octopus installs in hours in most configurations and requires no APIs or code changes. When rule changes are needed, modifications are made without any down time. And, as easily as changes are made, they can revert to previously deployed strategies.

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