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SWIFT compliance services
Ensure seamless SWIFT compliance with SISA’s expertise, built around the framework’s core requirements.
SWIFT Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF)
The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) has, since 1973, served as the global standard for secure financial messaging. It connects thousands of banks and financial institutions, enabling seamless cross-border transactions that move trillions of dollars each day. While its reliability makes it essential, its widespread scale also exposes it to heightened cyber risks.
To safeguard this ecosystem, SWIFT requires all connected entities — including banks, brokerage firms, investment managers, central banks, and exchanges — to comply with the Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF). This rigorous framework enforces controls to secure IT environments, restrict unauthorized access, and detect anomalies before they escalate. Compliance with CSCF is no longer a procedural checkbox; it is a vital safeguard for the integrity of global financial communications. Falling short can result in severe consequences: regulatory sanctions, reputational damage, and even exclusion from the SWIFT network.
Customer Security Controls Framework
SISA’s SWIFT CSP compliance approach -
Assessment to resilient security
SISA’s SWIFT Customer Security Programme (CSP) offerings are designed to help financial institutions assess and navigate the complex security and compliance requirements of the global financial messaging ecosystem.
Leveraging near two decades of experience auditing against internationally recognized standards, including PCI DSS, PCI PIN, PCI P2PE, PCI Card Production, and ISO frameworks, SISA’s auditors bring unmatched expertise to every engagement. Each assessment is led by professionals holding premier industry certifications including SWIFT CSP Assessor, CISSP, PCI QSA, and QPA ensuring both technical depth and rigorous evaluation.
01
Methodology Anchored in the SWIFT Independent Assessment Framework
Our assessment approach follows the SWIFT Independent Assessment Framework and associated guidelines to provide a structured, consistent, and transparent review of your security posture. We begin by defining the assessment scope in close collaboration with your team, using SWIFT’s decision tree to identify all in-scope components, environments, and the applicable architecture type. This ensures that every mandatory control, and any advisory control included in your attestation, is accurately addressed from the start. SISA’s methodology is risk-based rather than checklist-driven. Each control is evaluated against its stated objective and risk drivers, with consideration for your unique implementation. This allows us to recognize alternative methods that achieve equivalent risk mitigation while remaining fully aligned with the intent of the CSCF.
Independent, Qualified, and Objective Assessment
Independence and assessor qualification are central to our approach. Every assessment is conducted by a team free from conflicts of interest and led by a SWIFT CSP-certified assessor holding globally recognized cybersecurity certifications. Our experts bring proven experience in auditing against standards such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and NIST frameworks, ensuring both technical depth and assessment rigor.
02
Evidence-driven Testing and Validation
To provide reasonable comfort on control effectiveness, SISA employs a blend of industry-recognized testing techniques. These include management interviews to confirm awareness and governance, observation of processes and technical operations, inspection of policies and configurations, and re-performance of critical technical controls. Where circumstances require remote engagement, we adopt secure methods such as video-based walkthroughs, document reviews, and system extracts to achieve the same level of assurance as an on-site review.
03
Clear Findings and Actionable Recommendations
Upon completion of the assessment, SISA delivers a detailed report and completion letter using the official SWIFT CSCF templates. Each control is mapped to its compliance status, supported by clear evidence and an explanation of how the conclusion was reached. Where gaps or deviations are identified, we provide practical recommendations to help you plan remediation activities and prepare for attestation, while leaving the implementation fully in your control.
04
Enabling Security Beyond the Assessment
05
While SISA's role ends with assessment and recommendations, our work empowers your institution to move beyond compliance into a posture of enduring resilience. By combining forensic intelligence, regulatory expertise, and insights from hundreds of global assessments, we help you understand your current risk exposure and chart a clear path toward stronger, more sustainable SWIFT security.
Why partner with SISA for your SWIFT compliance journey?
In the high-stakes world of global financial messaging, you need more than a checklist auditor, you need a partner who understands the business, regulatory, and threat realities you face. SISA brings that edge with -
Global Leadership and Proven Success
Recognized as a leader in financial cybersecurity, SISA has delivered 2,000+ audits across 40+ countries, earning the trust of major banks and payment service providers worldwide. Organizations rely on our expertise to secure environments and consistently meet regulator expectations with assurance.
Forensics-Driven Intelligence
Our approach is shaped by insights from 1,100+ real-world breach investigations, giving us unmatched visibility into how attackers compromise SWIFT environments.
AI-Powered Compliance
We leverage AI to automate control mapping, evidence collection, and continuous posture validation, enabling CISOs to maintain real-time assurance while reducing operational effort throughout the assessment process.
Certified Domain Expertise
Our SWIFT CSP-certified assessors combine technical depth with a keen understanding of the evolving financial threat landscape.
Strategic Alignment with Business Goals
We integrate SWIFT compliance with enterprise risk frameworks and Zero Trust architectures, ensuring controls strengthen operations.
Know more from our SWIFT security experts
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