[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54707-54710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-21537]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-70289; File No. SR-OCC-2013-10]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; 
Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To Amend Its Policy Statement 
Adopted Under Rule 205 Entitled ``Back-up Communication Channel to 
Internet Access''

August 29, 2013.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act'') \1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on August 23, 2013, The Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC'' or 
``Corporation'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and 
II below, which Items have been prepared by OCC. The Commission is 
publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change 
from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the 
Proposed Rule Change

    OCC proposes to make certain changes to its Policy Statement 
adopted under Rule 205 entitled ``Back-up Communication Channel to 
Internet Access'' requiring clearing members that use the Internet as 
their primary means to access OCC's information and data systems to 
maintain a secure back-up means of communication in order to provide 
for business continuance in the event of an Internet outage.

II. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis 
for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, OCC included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. OCC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, 
and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

(A) Clearing Agency's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis 
for, the Proposed Rule Change

(1) Purpose
    OCC Rule 205 prescribes that OCC clearing members are required to 
submit instructions, notices, reports, data and

[[Page 54708]]

other items to the Corporation electronically in accordance with 
procedures prescribed by the Corporation. The Rule is designed to 
promote operational efficiency and effectiveness and reduce input 
errors. Position-related post-trade (e.g., exercise notices, position 
adjustments) and collateral transactions are common examples of 
instructions submitted by clearing members electronically.
    OCC supports the submission of these instructions through use of an 
Internet connection to OCC's secured Web site. In 2006, OCC adopted a 
Policy Statement under Rule 205 requiring clearing members that 
primarily use the Internet to access OCC's systems to maintain a secure 
back-up means of communication as a contingency to perform on a timely 
basis critical business activities in the event of an Internet outage, 
as well as to maintain service arrangements with two independent 
internet service providers.\3\
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    \3\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 53980 (June 14, 2006), 
71 FR 36155 (June 23, 2006)(SR-OCC-2006-04).
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    The Policy Statement adopted at the time required clearing members 
to maintain: (i) Separate service agreements with two (2) independent 
service providers, and (ii) an OCC-approved method for accessing OCC's 
information and data systems even in the case of an Internet outage 
(the ``Back-Up Communication Channel'').
    Guidelines were established so that the Back-Up Communication 
Channel authorized for a particular clearing member was determined in 
accordance with the firm's business profile using certain criteria. For 
example, a clearing member that: (i) ranked among the top twenty-five 
of cleared volume during a calendar year; (ii) cleared more than one 
account type as defined in OCC's By-Laws and Rules; (iii) cleared two 
or more product types; (iv) conducted Clearing Member Trade Assignment 
(``CMTA'') business; (v) input a high volume of daily post-trade 
activity; (vi) generally utilized multiple forms of collateral; (vii) 
utilized most ancillary services offered by OCC; (viii) used a lease 
line for data transmissions, would generally be designated as a 
``Category A'' firm. ``Category A'' firms were required to maintain a 
T1 line as an acceptable form of back-up communication channel.
    A clearing member that: (i) Transacted mid-level cleared volume 
during a calendar year; (ii) cleared only one or more account types as 
defined in OCC's By-Laws and Rules; (iii) cleared one or more product 
types; (iv) input a moderate to small volume of post-trade activity; 
(v) generally utilized one or two forms of collateral; (vi) may have 
utilized a lease line for data transmissions, were generally designated 
as a ``Category B'' firm. Under the Policy Statement, ``Category B'' 
firms were provided the option to either maintain a T1 line or ISDN 
connection as acceptable forms of a back-up communication channel.
    A clearing member that: (i) Transacted low-level cleared volume 
during a calendar year; (ii) cleared no more than one account type as 
defined in OCC's By-Laws and Rules; (iii) cleared no more than one 
product type; (iv) generally utilized one or two forms of collateral; 
(v) input minimal amounts of post-trade activity, would generally be 
designated as a ``Category C'' firm. ``Category C'' firms were given 
the option to maintain an ISDN connection, utilize OCC equipment if the 
clearing member was located in or near a city where OCC maintains 
operational center(s), or rely upon fax transmission in the event an 
internet connection was not available.
    Recent denial of service attacks on financial institutions, along 
with changes in technology since the Policy Statement was first 
adopted, have prompted OCC to reassess the risk to operations should 
Internet connections supporting clearing member access to OCC's 
information and data systems be interrupted. Through this assessment, 
OCC has determined that its existing policy should be modified to 
ensure it is easily understood and properly implemented by the clearing 
membership.
    OCC is now proposing to make updates to the Policy Statement 
intended to simplify the criteria applied to a given firm in 
determining the appropriate Back-Up Communication Channel. Instead of 
having three categories of Business Profiles that include several 
criteria to be applied, and offering multiple communication options 
available to a particular firm, the updated Policy Statement will 
contain two profiles. Clearing Members that rank in the top-25 of 
cleared volume during a calendar year or act as a facilities manager to 
one or more Clearing firms will be designated as a ``Category A'' firm, 
and will be required to maintain a T1 line as its Back-Up Communication 
Channel. All other firms will be designated as ``Category B'' firms, 
and will be required to maintain a T1 line or utilize a fax line, 
telephone or have ready access to an OCC office location.
    OCC believes the proposed changes will present minimal to no impact 
to clearing members. In particular, all firms that were previously 
designated as ``Category A'' firms under the former policy will 
continue to be designated as ``Category A'' firms under the revised 
policy being proposed, and they will still be required to maintain a T1 
line, as previously required. Those firms that will be designated as 
Category B firms under the proposed policy will now have increased 
flexibility under the back-up options being made available to them, in 
that they can select between a T1 Line, fax, telephone, or use an OCC 
office if they are located in a city where OCC maintains an operational 
center. In preparation for the revisions to the Policy Statement, OCC 
has acquired new fax servers that have increased bandwidth to support 
multiple users that may select facsimile transmission as their 
available back-up communication method. Meanwhile, the telephone 
features used by OCC's Member Service staff are equipped so that calls 
are automatically routed to an available representative in the event a 
firm's designated contact is unavailable. Finally, OCC has confirmed 
that: (i) The number of Category B firms who are located in a city 
where OCC maintains an office; and (ii) do not currently maintain a T1 
line, is sufficiently small enough so that OCC will be able to 
accommodate those firms who may need to utilize OCC's equipment in the 
event of an internet outage.
    OCC also proposes to clarify the Policy Statement by expressly 
adding a requirement for each clearing member to provide OCC with an 
annual statement that the Clearing Member: (i) Has been and continues 
to be in compliance with the Policy Statement; (ii) has successfully 
tested its ability to access OCC's information and data systems using 
its Back-Up Communication Channel since the last reporting period; and 
(iii) will notify OCC within a reasonable period of any changes to 
their Internet Service Providers since the date of the last notice 
provided to OCC. While OCC believes that the existing policy reasonably 
and fairly implies that clearing members would not only remain in 
compliance with its requirements, but that clearing members would 
perform periodic testing of its Back-Up Communication Channel, we 
believe that the proposed modifications eliminate any ambiguity that 
may exist and help ensure that OCC has sufficient information to 
troubleshoot in case of an Internet outage, thereby helping to ensure 
that critical business activities can still be performed in a timely 
manner in such instances.
(2) Statutory Basis
    The proposed changes to OCC's Rules are consistent with the 
purposes and

[[Page 54709]]

requirements of Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (``Act'') \4\ and the rules and regulations thereunder because 
they are designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and 
settlement of securities transactions by simplifying the criteria used 
to determine the authorized Back-Up Communication Channel(s) that may 
be used by a given clearing member in the event the Internet is not 
available, and reducing the administrative oversight associated with 
making such determinations. The updates to OCC's Policy Statement 
further clarify the means by which clearing members are required to 
notify OCC of the Back-Up Communication Channel(s) adopted by each 
clearing member, along with the internet service providers being used, 
and confirmation that each clearing member has successfully tested its 
ability to access OCC's systems, thereby helping to ensure that 
critical business activities can still be performed in a timely manner 
even in the event of an Internet outage. The proposed rule change is 
not inconsistent with the existing rules of OCC, including any rules 
proposed to be amended.
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    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
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(B) Clearing Agency's Statement on Burden on Competition

    OCC believes that the proposed rule change will impose little to no 
burden on competition and in no way impose any burden on competition 
not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. 
While the updates to the Policy Statement now expressly provide for 
clearing members to: (i) Notify OCC of the Back-Up Communication 
Channel(s) adopted by each clearing member; (ii) provide OCC with the 
names of its internet service providers, and (iii) confirm for OCC that 
it has successfully tested its ability to access OCC's systems, OCC 
believes that each of these measures impose little to no burden on 
competition, individually or collectively, and any such burden imposed 
will facilitate the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of 
securities transactions at all times.
    In particular, Clearing Members are already required to maintain a 
secure back-up means of communication under OCC's existing Policy 
Statement, as well as, maintain service arrangements with two 
independent internet service providers. Clearing Members are also 
already required under OCC Rule 215 to provide information as OCC may 
from time to time require. As such, OCC believes that requiring 
Clearing Members to provide OCC with information they are already 
required to maintain imposes little to no additional burden on 
competition.
    In addition, while the updated Policy Statement now expressly 
requires Clearing Members to confirm that it has successfully tested 
its ability to access OCC's systems, OCC also believes that such 
requirement imposes little to no additional burden on competition and 
is consistent with existing regulatory requirements pertaining to 
business continuity planning and disaster recovery. First, OCC believes 
that the testing requirement itself was already implied in the existing 
Policy Statement to ensure the Back-Up Communication Channel was 
effective and operational, so the only additional requirement being 
imposed is an obligation to notify OCC. Again, given Clearing Members' 
existing obligation to provide information that OCC may request, OCC 
believes such requirement imposes little to no additional burden on 
competition. Second, to the extent a particular Clearing Member may not 
have understood the existing Policy Statement to include an obligation 
to test its Back-Up Communication Channel, then OCC believes the Policy 
Statement clarifies the obligations applicable to all Clearing Members 
and is consistent with existing regulatory requirements pertaining to 
business continuity planning and disaster recovery applicable to 
Clearing Members.
    Collectively, the updates to the Policy Statement are consistent 
with requirements of the Act applicable to clearing agencies and are 
designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of 
securities transactions at all times. The updates ensure that OCC has 
sufficient information to troubleshoot in case of an Internet outage, 
and clarifies Clearing Members' obligations to confirm their ability to 
successfully access OCC's information and data systems using their 
Back-Up Communication Channel in the event of an Internet outage. 
Accordingly, OCC believes that that [sic] updates will impose little to 
no burden on competition and in no way impose a burden on competition 
that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of 
the Act.

(C) Clearing Agency's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change 
Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    Written comments were not and are not intended to be solicited with 
respect to the proposed rule change and none have been received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period up to 90 days (i) as the 
Commission may designate if it finds such longer period to be 
appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to 
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
    (A) By order approve or disapprove such proposed rule change, or
    (B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment for (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number SR-OCC-2013-10 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-OCC-2013-10. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help 
the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549 on official business days between the hours of 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the

[[Page 54710]]

filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of OCC and on OCC's Web site at http://www.theocc.com/about/publications/bylaws.jsp. All comments received will be posted 
without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying 
information from submissions. You should submit only information that 
you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to 
File Number SR-OCC-2013-10 and should be submitted on or before 
September 26, 2013.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\5\
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
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    \5\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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[FR Doc. 2013-21537 Filed 9-4-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P