Bank security is the top priority for most major overseas and offshore banks. Clients' assets are protected from lawsuits, government interference, and outside agencies. State-of-the-art military-level host and network based intrusion detection systems are put in place to guard customer service data, and electronic transactions are monitored to ensure that money reaches only the country and account it is attended to reach.

Monitoring is used further to keep transfers from entering accounts in "rogue nations," and to keep money out of the hands of "rogue groups." Many American companies and individuals are drawn to overseas and offshore banks because of tax breaks and adjusted income rates, but still many are lured away from domestic banks by the bank security services and privacy protection plans those banks have in place.

Changes in Bank Security

As new risks and possible threats are detected, institutions are developing new bank security systems to keep in step with the times. Many domestic banks have taken their cue from their overseas counterparts, integrating newer technologies and developing new systems to track wire transfers and electronic transactions. However, for privacy and protective services overseas banks are still viewed as the standard-bearer.

Swiss banks have achieved legendary status for the privacy and security they offer, but banks in Italy, France, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, and locations in Asia and Africa offer many of the same services. Bank security will continue to evolve as technological advances are made, and banks wishing to attract the wealthiest clients will employ all available services to protect their customer's financial assets and personal data.