President's Choice Financial|security|daily banking|What you can do

what you can do

We are committed to ensuring your security and privacy, and we use strong security measures to protect your information. However, there are also some important steps you can take as a customer. You can use the information below as a guide to help you protect yourself online.

What can I do to ensure my online banking account information is safe?
Passwords
Signing in with 'remember my bank card'
Remember to sign out
Clear your browser's cache
Make sure you have anti-virus software
Use a personal firewall
Install security updates
Beware of e-mail fraud
Beware of identity theft
Direct deposit and online banking
Look for privacy policies on other web sites
General dos and don'ts

What can I do to ensure my online banking account information is safe?

Online security starts with your web browser. When you access your President's Choice Financial accounts over the Internet, your browser is checked to ensure it meets our minimum security requirements. You can protect yourself online by using an up-to-date browser with the most recent security updates. To access your President's Choice Financial online accounts, please ensure you are using one of the supported browsers that use 128-bit encryption.

Below are some additional tips that will help protect your online banking experience.

keep your account information and password secret
don't leave your account information or password in an open area where a passerby might see it
before entering personal information on a web site, check that your web session is secure by looking for a small lock symbol in the lower corner of your web browser window. A closed lock indicates the web site you are on is secure. You can also look for the letters "https://" at the beginning of your web site address in your web browser. The "s" means that the web connection is secure.
never leave your computer screen unattended while in the secure banking area of the site
always sign off your online accounts and close your browser if you're going to step away from your computer
don't send privileged account information (account number, password, etc.) via e-mail
try not to use passwords that incorporate your name, telephone number, address or birth date or those of any close friend or relative
change your password monthly; don't reuse the same password for at least one year.
don't use a password you use for anything else
don't use any part of your President's Choice Financial card number as your password.
use a quality anti-virus program as often as possible
avoid doing your online banking on public computers (for example, at libraries and Internet cafes)
frequently check the most current information about your browser (can be found at your browser's web site) for changes and upgrades
regularly check for security updates from your software/browser vendor(s)

Passwords

Passwords are used by computer systems and web sites to verify your identity. When you sign in to a banking site, you need to provide a password to get access to your accounts. If someone else knows or guesses your password, they can access the same accounts.

Always choose unique passwords that are hard to guess. Longer passwords are more difficult to figure out than shorter passwords, especially if you mix letters and numbers. You should also avoid choosing passwords that are obvious, such as family names, birthdays and telephone numbers that might be easy for others to figure out.

password tips:

never share your passwords with others, including family members
never give your password to a third party such as a payment service provider as this places your financial information at risk
don't use obvious passwords like your name, names of family members, your address, or any other information that might be found in your purse or wallet
try to avoid passwords that are real words
make it difficult for others to guess your password by ensuring it contains a combination of letters and numbers
avoid using the same password for several accounts or services — you should use a unique password for each web site and purpose
change your passwords frequently
if you think someone knows your password, change it right away

Signing in with 'remember my bank card'

Remember my bank card is ideal if you are the only user of your computer. You shouldn't use remember my bank card if you share a computer with anyone, since the bank card number is saved on the computer you are using. For example, you shouldn't use remember my bank card in an Internet café, or if you share a computer with someone.

Remember to sign out

When you are finished banking, remember to sign out. We recommend that you clear your browser cache after you sign out, or close your browser and re-open it before browsing the Internet. This will ensure that any information that is cached or stored on your computer or in your browser is erased, preventing others from being able to view this information later.

Clear your browser's cache

Your browser cache maintains a copy of web pages that have been viewed recently. Once you have finished banking and have signed out of the President's Choice Financial services web site you should clear your browser's cache, especially if you use are using a public or shared computer.

Make sure you have anti-virus software

Computer viruses and worms receive a lot of media attention because they can spread quickly and wreak havoc on personal computers and corporate networks. You should always use up-to-date anti-virus software that is capable of scanning files and e-mail messages for viruses. This can prevent your files from being corrupted or lost, as well as save you hours of frustration as you try to restore an infected computer system.

Do not open attachments to e-mails unless you trust the person or company that sent you the e-mail.

You can download Norton Anti-virus Software:

Norton AntiVirus

English:
http://www.norton.com/cibc1

French:
http://www.norton.com/cibc2

For a limited time, you can download a 60-day trial version of Norton Internet Security^TM for Windows* - Symantec's all-in-one anti-virus and firewall protection software. Near the end of your free trial, you'll be provided with a link to purchase Norton Internet Security online at 30% off the regular price.

Use a personal firewall

Any computer or device connected to the Internet that is not properly protected is vulnerable to hackers. This applies to all cable modem, digital subscribe line (DSL) and dial-up users. The likelihood of a hacker entering your computer increases the longer your computer is on and connected to the Internet.

A personal firewall will help protect your computer. Firewalls create a barrier between your computer and the rest of the Internet. A firewall can be a hardware device, a software application or a combination of the two. Firewalls can prevent hacker attacks and block certain types of data from entering your computer or private network. They can also be set up to alert you if anyone tries to access your system.

Microsoft Windows XP and Macintosh OS X both include basic personal firewalls, but you must activate them to be effective.

In addition, you can download a personal firewall or order the software in the mail from the following web sites:

Norton Personal Firewall

English:
http://www.symantec.com/region/can/eng/product/nis/npf/

French:
http://www.symantec.com/region/can/fr/product/nis/npf/

McAfee Personal Firewall

English:
http://ca.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=276

French:
http://fr.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=276

Install security updates

Most personal computers use the Microsoft Windows or Macintosh OS operating systems. The makers of these systems regularly issue security updates to protect against new and emerging threats. You should download and install security updates regularly or configure your operating system to automatically check for new updates.

Windows: To download the latest Microsoft Windows updates, visit Windows Update

Macintosh OS X: Choose "Software Update" from the Apple menu.

Beware of e-mail fraud

Be wary of e-mails that ask for personal information and never provide your personal passwords, personal information numbers or sign in information for President's Choice Financial services. important notice about e-mail fraud and identity theft.

Beware of identity theft

Take steps to protect yourself against identity theft, including protecting your personal information, memorizing your passwords and reporting thefts and losses immediately. important notice about e-mail fraud and identity theft.

Direct deposit and online banking

Arrange with your employer to have your salary deposited directly to your President's Choice Financial account so you can prevent lost or stolen cheques. Banking online with President's Choice Financial services also means you can set up recurring transfers and payments from your President's Choice Financial account so your financial obligations are met automatically.

Look for privacy policies on other web sites

President's Choice Financial services provide links to other web sites that are not operated by us or governed by our privacy policy or security standards. If you visit any of these web sites, you should read their unique privacy and security policies before entering data on those sites.

General dos and don'ts

Do:

report lost or stolen bank cards immediately and notify any creditors who may be debiting money from you
check your financial statements for any unauthorized transactions
destroy cancelled cheques and store new cheques in a safe place
sign all credit cards as soon as they are received
cancel all inactive credit cards
limit the number of credit/charge cards you own
destroy pre-approved credit card applications, credit card receipts, bankbooks, bank statements with cheques and pay statements
pay attention to billing cycles and contact your billing company if bills fail to arrive
review your credit bureau files annually

Don't:

leave your computer unattended when your are signed in to your accounts
keep your bank machine PIN, online and telephone banking passwords or Social Insurance Number in your wallet
leave mail lying around
provide your credit card number to anyone other than a trusted third party
leave your purse or wallet lying around in public places
lend credit cards to anyone
use software that automatically remembers your passwords — someone could take advantage of this if he/she used your computer