WESCO Net, a Grand Rapids, MI based leader in network integration and hosting services has received a SAS 70 Type I certification for its Platinum Server Assurance, Firewall Management, and Managed Hosting services inclusive of their data centers.
“In an environment of ever increasing regulatory scrutiny and NCUA-mandated third party oversight requirements, it’s more important than ever for credit unions to be able to prove to auditors their third party technology provider is fulfilling their contractual obligations in a secure, consistent, and effective manner,” says Dave Wordhouse, VP Network Technologies at WESCO Net.
The SAS 70 examination includes an independent review of processes, procedures, documentation, data center infrastructure and management, network, and physical security for WESCO Net’s managed services offerings including the Platinum Server Assurance program, Managed Firewall services, and Managed Hosting services.
“The NCUA is putting the oversight burden on the credit union, but they may not have the expertise to effectively manage how the partner delivers their services. We believe it is our responsibility to assist our clients and assume a portion of that oversight burden. The SAS 70 allows us to do just that,” says Matt Sawtell, CISSP and manager of Managed Services for WESCO Net.
Dave Wordhouse continues, “Having a SAS 70 is a key differentiator of our services as most network service providers are not looked at by independent auditors with this level of scrutiny, if at all. The SAS assures our clients we have our eye on the ball by providing transparency into our internal operations and should ultimately simplify their lives when their auditor shows up. We believe credit unions should start demanding this level of independent accountability from all network service providers.”
WESCO Net is preparing for a follow-on Type II examination with even stricter requirements to be completed in the next 18 months. The SAS 70 examination is one of four rolling independent examinations of WESCO Net including Network Security Assessment, External Penetration Assessment, and Internal Penetration Assessment. Copies of the SAS 70 examination are available upon request.
