Customer Security Programme
Swift’s Customer Security Programme (CSP) is a mandatory initiative that helps financial institutions protect their Swift footprint against cyber threats. By implementing security controls and attesting level of compliance against the Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF), institutions demonstrate their commitment to security and contribute to the resilience and trust of the global financial ecosystem.
Customer Security Programme
Benefits
Swift users implement mandatory controls from the CSCF and validate them through independent assessments—raising the bar for cyber hygiene and reducing the risk of fraud
Attestation results are visible to counterparties (when access granted) and supervisors via KYC Security Attestation (KYC-SA) and KYS, helping build trust and streamline third-party risk management
Standardised assessments and reporting templates reduce complexity, save time, and support consistent compliance across institutions
If selected, Swift certified assessors benefit from Swift training, documentation, and direct access to CSP experts—ensuring assessments are accurate and aligned with best practices
CSP fosters collaboration through working groups and intelligence sharing via the ISAC portal, helping users stay ahead of evolving threats
CSP compliance journey
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1. Understand Controls
Start by reviewing the latest Customer Security Controls Framework (CSCF). Identify which mandatory and advisory controls apply to your Swift infrastructure, and familiarise yourself with the objectives, scope, and risk drivers defined in the documentation.
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2. Implement Controls
Once you’ve identified the applicable CSCF controls, the next step is to put them into practice. This may involve, as examples, updating your Swift environments, enhancing access management, and strengthening your technical infrastructure and incident response capabilities. You can do this internally with your IT, risk, or compliance teams, or partner with a cybersecurity service provider to ensure robust implementation and alignment with industry best practices.
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3. Perform Independent Assessment
Validate the effectiveness of the design and an implementation of your controls through an independent assessment. This can be performed internally by a second or third line of defence (e.g. risk, compliance, internal audit) or externally by an independent assessor.
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4. Submit Attestation
Complete your attestation in the KYC-SA application, indicating your level of compliance compliance for each applicable control. If any control is not yet met, provide a remediation date and update your attestation once compliant.
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5. Leverage & Share CSP Data
Once your attestation is published in KYC-SA, it becomes visible to counterparties—supporting transparency, trust, and streamlined third-party risk management. You can also use the ISAC portal to share threat intelligence and stay informed about emerging risks, helping strengthen the resilience of the wider financial community.