Finance & SSFN

Financial services firms have an obligation to protect their online transactions

According to International Monetary Fund, “Without dedicated action, the global financial system will only become more vulnerable as innovation, competition, and the pandemic further fuel the digital revolution.”

Financial services are 300 times more likely to be targeted by a cyberattack and are attacked 983 times globally every day.

You need to ensure you’re protected online against constantly evolving threats, which include:

DDoS attacks
Routing attacks
Network downtime and lost productivity
Breach containment and remediation
Newly-required spending on security hardware, software, and services
Data recovery expenses

A cut above the rest - The Secure Swiss Finance Network (SSFN)

The Swiss Financial Industry led by the Swiss National Bank and SIX raised their standards to address
the above threats and created the most secure, reliable financial network in the world - the SSFN.

Secure Swiss Finance Network (SSFN) -
a better way to connect

Anapaya delivers the SCiON software that powers the SSFN in close collaboration with telecommunication companies Sunrise, Swisscom, and SWITCH.

SSFN increases the security and resilience of network connections to the SIC system and to other Financial Market Infrastructures (FMIs). It not only allows for the exchange of messages between FMIs and participants but also enables data to be exchanged securely between participants using the same architecture.

The SSFN is to gradually replace the existing solution for communicating with the SIC system from 2021.

Flexible Communications

Enable flexible communication with any-to-any architecture over point-to-point connections.

Fast Failover Solutions

Instantly reroute data in the case of failure and boost performance based on cost or latency level rules.

Secure Networking

Avoid routing attacks and be protected from DDoS attacks with hidden paths and source authentication.

Controlled Connectivity

Enables the sender of data to select their end-to-end data paths and control who sees their data.

Testimonials

SNB and SIX share the vision of creating a truly next-generation network for financial institutions. The SSFN is a completely different view of how intercompany networks are built and operated, based on the breakthrough technology of SCiON. We are proud to be a part of this and of an amazing project team of multiple companies!

Fritz Steinmann

Senior Network and Network Security Architect, SIX

The SSFN offers the same level of security and reliability as before, as well as enabling us to develop new business opportunities faster with more flexibility.

ZKB logo 799x195

Patrick Bamert

Head of Network and Security Engineering, Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB)

How does it work?

The SSFN is a SCION-based ISD used exclusively for the Swiss financial sector. It allows for highly secure and trusted communication between Swiss financial institutions.

Isolation Domains (ISDs) such as SSFN combine the advantages of private and public networks. It offers a decentralised any-to-any architecture, extreme reliability, protection against network-level threats, and clearly defined governance and trust anchors.

SCION Diagram

End-users or employees of SSFN participants are able to securely connect from home or any other remote location without accessibility, performance, or security concerns.

Our partners

Why SSFN?

Our solution combines the flexibility of the traditional internet with the security of a private network.

A flexible, any-to-any architecture

Each user can communicate in a closed network efficiently with every other SSFN member. This flexible architecture enables fluid and efficient digital transactions with the Swiss Financial Sector, while data senders and recipients can connect through the same or different carriers, enabling them to be carrier independent.

Unprecedented reliability and performance

The SSFN provides additional protection against cyber risks such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks and BGP (traffic) hijacking in comparison to internet connections. Users have instant failover measures to guarantee business continuity and keep application sessions going, even if a physical supply line fails.

Based on SCiON technology

The SSFN is based on legacy-free technology, with a constant flow of innovation from the SCiON community and university research. The SSFN is highly agile, enabling changes and rapid integrations with new functionality to be added with active SCiON development.

Innovative security and control

The SSFN uses real-time, end-to-end path-awareness, finding the most secure and reliable networking routes. Central access control and governance provide additional security measures while paving the way for new digital business models such as instant payments and digitised banking.

Reference materials

More insights into today’s digital environment and why the SSFN is a welcome innovation for the industry.

See the latest press release of the Swiss National Bank here >

SNB and SIX launch the communication network Secure Swiss Finance Network

Helping to strengthen cyber resilience in the Swiss financial sector. Cyber resilience is a key concern...

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SNB und SIX lancieren ein neues, Kommunikationsnetzwerk für den Schweizer Finanzplatz

Für Hacker ist der Finanzsektor ein naheliegendes Ziel. Das Secure Swiss Finance Network (SSFN) bietet darauf eine Antwort...

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Sicheres Netzwerk für den Finanzplatz: Innovativ ist nicht nur die Technologie

Wie erschwert man Cyberkriminellen wirksam ihr Handwerk? Die Schweizerische Nationalbank setzt...

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113th Annual Report Swiss National Bank 2020

It is our pleasure to present the Swiss National Bank’s Annual Report for 2020. The first part of the report comprises the accountability report submitted by the Governing Board...

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SIX Cyber Security Report 2020

These are extraordinary times. None of us has ever experienced anything like the coronavirus pandemic. and it remains uncertain when normality will return.

View the report

SNB: Maechler sieht Implikationen für SNB durch Digitalisierung

Gemäss Maechler hat die Bedeutung des bargeldlosen Bezahlens zugenommen. Somit steigt auch das Tempo bei der Einführung neuer Bezahllösungen.

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Nationalbank will Sicherheit von Finanzsystemen verbessern

Zusammen mit SIX startet die SNB ein Projekt, das die Sicherheit der Netzwerkverbindungen...

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Schweizerische Nationalbank startet Projekt gegen Gefahr von Cyberattacken

Die Schweizerische Nationalbank (SNB) lanciert ein Projekt zur Verbesserung der Widerstandsfähigkeit...

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La BNS lance un projet contre les risques de cyberattaques

Développé au sein de l’EPFZ, Secure Swiss Finance Network est le fruit d’une collaboration avec le groupe de services financiers SIX.

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Il sistema di pagamento svizzero al riparo dai cyberattacchi

BERNA - La Banca nazionale svizzera (BNS) lancia un progetto per meglio proteggere il sistema di pagamento SIC...

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Anapaya completes technical evaluation of the new communication service for the financial centre - with the Swiss National Bank and SIX

In June 2020, Anapaya announced a project to develop a new secure communication network with the Swiss financial industry.

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Demonstrating the reliability and resilience of Secure Swiss Finance Network

This new network is based on a novel networking technology, SCION, researched and developed at ETH Zurich in collaboration with Anapaya Systems.

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Boosted security for digital finance

Financial services firms have an obligation to protect their online transactions

You need to ensure you’re protected online against constantly evolving threats, which include:

A cut above the rest - The Secure Swiss Finance Network (SSFN)

Join SSFN in 3 simple steps