SWIFT CSP
Customer Security Programme
Assessment & Compliance
Give your leadership and stakeholders confidence and clarity to navigate the SWIFT CSP.
Trusted by the United Nations, Central Banks and more.
About the SWIFT Customer Security Programme (CSP)
As cybercriminals increasingly targeted members of the SWIFT community, SWIFT introduced the Customer Security Programme (CSP) or SWIFT CSP Assessment to strengthen the global financial ecosystem’s defenses. Central to this initiative is the SWIFT CSCF – Customer Security Controls Framework — a objective-based framework of security controls designed to help institutions prevent, detect, and recover from cyberattacks that is updated on an annual basis.
The CSCF defines three core objectives, eight principles, and 32 security controls, which include both mandatory and advisory requirements tailored to each user’s SWIFT architecture and infrastructure. All institutions using the SWIFT platform must annually attest to compliance with the Customer Security Controls Framework by December 31st of each year. As of 2021, SWIFT requires that CSP attestations be independently validated by qualified independent assessors.
The global financial industry experienced a string of cybersecurity attacks that leveraged vulnerabilities in the client-side SWIFT infrastructure, demonstrating that even if the SWIFT core network remained secure, weak security practices at member institutions could be exploited. This became the catalyst for establishing the SWIFT CSP, aimed at hardening customer environments and reducing systemic risk.
World Informatix Cyber Security played a pivotal role in the aftermath of the 2016 Bangladesh Central Bank SWIFT cyber heist, one of the most significant cyberattacks in global banking history.
We bring unique, real-world experience
Our History
Central Bank of Bangladesh SWIFT Attack
World Informatix Cyber Security led incident response for the historic $101 million attack
World Informatix Cyber Security played a pivotal role in the aftermath of the 2016 Bangladesh Central Bank SWIFT cyber heist, one of the most significant cyberattacks in global banking history. After hackers stole $81 million through fraudulent SWIFT transactions, World Informatix was brought in to conduct incident response, forensic investigation, and security remediation. Their team worked closely with the Bangladesh Bank, SWIFT, and international law enforcement agencies to trace the attack’s origins, identify system vulnerabilities, and help strengthen cybersecurity controls to prevent future breaches. The firm’s response became a benchmark case study in cyber resilience, SWIFT network security, and digital forensics within the financial sector.
We have incorporated vital experiences from this incident into our CSP Assessment service, helping secure global financial institutions of all sizes since 2016.
World Informatix CYber Security
How WICS conducts a SWIFT CSP Assessment
WICS supports financial institutions of all sizes, from small regional banks to Central Banking Authorities.
As an accredited SWIFT CSP Assessment Provider, World Informatix Cyber Security (WICS) supports institutions through this process, ensuring full compliance and a seamless attestation experience. World Informatix is an ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 certified firm, providing the highest levels of assurance while keeping your critical information secure.
WICS built a custom security controls checklist for that is used for the CSP assessment, directly mapping to the current CSCF framework and drawing upon granular controls from established frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST CSF and SOC2.
Using an Assessment methodology aligned to the SWIFT Independent Assessment Framework (IAF), we work with your internal stakeholders and management to perform an assessment with as little pain or inconvinience possible. Through a structured and well-planned engagement, we can deliver a SWIFT CSP Assessment in as little as 2 weeks.
Why Choose WICS For Your SWIFT CSP
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A decade of CSP Expertise
As one of the original CSP Assessors since 2016, we bring deep financial-sector and SWIFT expertise with over 300 assessments conducted
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Holistic & Comprehensive Assessment Approach
WICS uses a proprietary security control checklist with 200+ granular controls, aligned with industry standards such as ISO 27001 and NIST CSF
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SWIFT Certified Assessors with Real-World Experience
Led by certified assessors with hands-on incident response experience, including the largest SWIFT attack in History at the Central Bank of Bangladesh
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A focus on Technical Hardening of SWIFT Secure Zone
A focus on technical security controls, including Configuration Benchmarks, Cipher Strength, Patching and Indicators of Compromise (IoC) scans
Assessment Overview FAQ
Understanding our assessment methodology will show you exactly how we deliver a smooth, compliant and predictable CSP Assessment from start to finish.
Planning and Kickoff
Comprehensive planning is essential to every successful engagement.
Before the official project kickoff, World Informatix Cyber Security (WICS) will schedule a pre-kickoff consultation call to ensure full alignment with your organization’s needs and objectives. During this session, our team will take time to understand your operational environment, confirm your SWIFT architecture type, and establish a clear project timeline with key milestones. This proactive step allows us to identify dependencies, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure all stakeholders are informed and engaged from the outset.
The formal kickoff meeting will mark the official start of the assessment. Led by a certified SWIFT CSP assessor, this session will include a detailed presentation outlining the assessment methodology, deliverables, communication plan, and success criteria. By setting clear expectations and confirming mutual understanding, WICS ensures a structured, transparent, and efficient assessment process that positions your organization for a successful SWIFT attestation.
Information Gathering
Prior to the assessment phase, World Informatix Cyber Security (WICS) will provide a comprehensive list of requirements to ensure your team is fully prepared. This list will outline the specific documentation, policies, technical reports, implementation evidence, and system screenshots needed to support an efficient and accurate review. By sharing these requirements in advance, WICS helps minimize delays and ensures that all relevant materials are available when the assessment begins.
In parallel with evidence collection, WICS will also submit a proposed schedule of meetings with key stakeholders—including IT, HR, and executive management—to facilitate discussions with our SWIFT-certified assessors. These structured sessions will allow our team to gain deeper insight into your security environment, clarify control implementations, and validate compliance details. This coordinated approach ensures that every aspect of the assessment is well-organized, transparent, and aligned with your organization’s operational rhythm.
Gap Assessment & Technical Test
Thorough assessment and validation are at the core of WICS’s methodology.
During this phase, our certified SWIFT CSP assessors will utilize WICS’s proprietary SWIFT CSP Security Controls Checklist, which includes over 200 meticulously defined controls mapped directly to the latest version of the Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF). This enhanced checklist ensures that every mandatory and advisory control is reviewed in detail and aligned with SWIFT’s most current requirements.
Our assessors will request and examine supporting evidence, engage directly with key stakeholders to confirm control implementations, and provide ongoing communication and feedback throughout the assessment process. This transparent and interactive approach ensures that any gaps or ambiguities are promptly clarified and resolved.
Drawing from extensive real-world experience with global financial institutions, WICS places particular emphasis on the technical security of the SWIFT environment and its Secure Zone. As part of the assessment, we require and review technical vulnerability assessment data from your critical SWIFT infrastructure. This allows us to validate your security posture not only for compliance with the CSCF, but also for true operational resilience and threat readiness within your SWIFT-connected environment. WICS will conduct for all in-scope SWIFT Assets:
- CIS Benchmark Scans
- Missing/Outdated Patch Analysis
- Encryption Cipher Scan
- Indicators of Compromise (IoC) Scan
Reporting
WICS assessment methodology ends with reporting, but the entire assessment is focused on creating a deliverable that is clear, concise, and accurate. Our deliverables include:
- Detailed CSP Assessment Report – with technical report
- Executive Summary Presentation / PDF
- Detailed Security Controls Checklist Findings
- KYC Assessor Letter of Completion
WHY CHOOSE US
Explore our Knowledge Base
Learn more about SWIFT related topics in our knowledge center.
