Best Security Tips for SAFE ONLINE BANKING..!!

Just as drivers who share the road must also share responsibility for safety, we all now share the same global network, and thus must regard computer security as a necessary social responsibility. Anyone unwilling to take simple security precautions is a major, active part of the problem. — Fred Langa

• How to have: Protection from Phishing: 
• Phishing involves the use of emails to trick you into providing your personal details.

• Type the URL of bank website in the address bar of your browser or on links of bank site saved as bookmark by you only.

• Avoid clicking on links provided in a suspicious looking email.

• Be very suspicious of websites that display an IP Address, or numerical address (e.g., http://192.134.2.1), in your web browser's address bar instead of a domain name.

• Open up a new web browser each time

• Do not click on any links in any e-mail message to access the site.

• How to have: Protection from Vishing: 
• Is a new trend in online frauds. It is a combination of the words, voice and phishing. 

• If you use a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service, you are particularly vulnerable to a vishing scam.

• A typical vishing call involves a scammer, posing as an employee from your bank or another organization, claiming to need your personal details. They could tell you many different reasons why they need this information from you.

• No Bank or any of its representative never sends you email/SMS or calls you over phone to get your personal information, password or one time SMS (high security) password.

• Never respond to such email/SMS or phone call. Please report immediately on their website if you receive any such e-mail/SMS or Phone call. Immediately change your passwords if you have accidentally revealed your credentials. 

• Do not be lured if you receive an e-mail/SMS/phone call promising reward for providing your personal information or for updating your account details in the bank site.

• How to create: Strong Password
• You can protect yourself against  attacks by using complex passwords with numbers, punctuation, and upper- and lower-case characters. 

• For example, write a memorable sentence using proper names and select the first letter of each word to include in your password. 

• It’s also a good idea to use different passwords for online banking services — in case one account is compromised, your other accounts may still be safe.

• How to: Identify Phony websites:

• Phony websites will not contain the padlock sign on right hand side of the URL.

• Phony websites will not begin with HTTPS in the URL bar.

• They appear to be the official site of a well-known and respected institution

• Messages like this:

• " Your account has been randomly selected for maintenance and placed on 'Limited Access' status, please enter your account details to re-activate your service"

•  "Please provide your account details to re-activate your account following the introduction of a new security system which will help you avoid fraudulent transactions and keep your investment safe"

•  "Your domain name registration is due for renewal; please enter the following information exactly as it appears on your credit card statement. This will be compared to the information your bank has on file for your Card to verify your payment.

•  "You have won a free gift (or prize), simply complete your credit card details for postage and handling costs and we'll send it out to you".

• Why : Multi-Factor Authentication is Your Buddy

• Some sites now offer multi-factor authentication (PDF), meaning that you’ll need to provide more than just one password in order to log in. 
• If you try to reset your password or, in some cases, even log in to your account, some sites will require you to provide an additional code that has been sent to your phone by SMS or push notification.
• When you forget a password, most sites will simply email you a password reset link. Anyone with access to your email would then be able to reset your bank login and lock you out of your own account. 

• How to have : Trusted Computers and Wifi: 

• Avoid accessing Internet banking accounts from cyber cafes or shared PCs.

• Having the following will improve your internet security:
• Newer version of Operating System with latest security patches.
• Latest version of Browsers (IE 7.0 and above , Mozilla Firefox 3.1 and above, Opera 9.5 and above, Safari 3.5 and above, Google chrome,etc.)
• Firewall is enabled.
• Antivirus signatures applied.

• Scan your computer regularly with Antivirus to ensure that the system is Virus/Trojan free.

• Change your Internet Banking password at periodical intervals.

• Always check the last log-in date and time in the post login page.

Happy online Banking..!!