How to protect yourself

When using the Internet, there is always a risk of contracting virus or the possibility of infiltration by intrusion software commonly known as "Trojan Horses". Computer viruses can modify programs, delete files and erase the contents of hard drives. "Trojan Horses" can have similar effects and may be able to capture keystrokes, including passwords or other secret information. Spyware and other deceptive software can also conduct certain activities on your computer without your knowledge or consent.

Phishing and Pharming
“Phishing” is a type of identity theft where criminals use email to try to bait you into fake websites. Once there, you are asked to disclose confidential financial and personal information, like passwords, credit card numbers, access codes or e-Pass values. The most familiar type of phishing scam is an e-mail threatening serious consequences if you do not log in and take action immediately.

"Pharming" is similar to "Phishing", though it often involves the use of malicious code. When you click on a link in a fraudulent email or otherwise visit an infected website, code is uploaded to your computer. You may not have to do anything other than arrive at the site to be infected. These "Trojan Horses" can then allow a hacker to monitor your activity, hijack control of your computer and log into financial and other sites with your credentials, and execute fraudulent transactions. To avoid these infections, be careful about which websites you visit and never click on links in unsolicited emails.

The potential consequences of any of these threats include damage to your computer, compromise of your secret information, fraudulent transactions on your behalf and the inability to use online banking.

For these reasons, we advise our customers to follow these practices:

• Install and frequently update a proven anti-virus product, such as McAfee VirusScan or Norton AntiVirus. Most popular anti-virus products include some spyware scanning capabilities.
• Only accept or download software from a source that you believe to be trustworthy.
• Never accept files or attachments when accessing websites, newsgroups and chat rooms unless you are very sure of their authenticity.
• Ensure you are using a legally licensed operating system.
  

Also keep your mobile device safe

Download anti-malware protection for your phone, tablet, e-reader or any other device that has mobile access to the Internet. This software should be able to scan the device, identify and remove malware, plus check applications for malware before downloading from application stores.

Beware of everything you download onto your smartphone, especially applications. Only use reputable application markets. Look at the developer's name, check out reviews and star ratings. Always check the permissions an application requests and ensure that the permissions the application requests match the features the application provides.

If your phone is stolen or lost, the first thing you should do is to call the Contact Center at 466-1836 and report the loss.

Beware of 'free' services and software offering faster web surfing and email virus scanning

We strongly advise you to carefully read the terms of any free services you accept or software you download online before you accept them. They are known to sometimes include your consent to having your entire Internet browsing activity, including secure transactions monitored. In consenting to such terms, you may allow the service provider to collect highly confidential User ID information such as your bank account and credit card numbers and passwords.

There are additional vulnerabilities associated with having a computer directly connected to the Internet for an extended period of time. This applies to all users but it is extremely important for users with DSL or Wireless Broadband Internet access. These methods of connection do not require 'dialing' into the Internet and thus are sometimes described as 'always on' connections. When the computer remains 'on' and connected to the Internet, malicious parties have a continuous window of opportunity for attacks.

If you use a DSL or Wireless Broadband connection for Internet access, you can limit this security risk by disconnecting from the Internet when your session is complete, or by turning off the DSL or wireless modem. However, if you want to continue to take advantage of the 'always on' feature of DSL and Wireless Broadband connections or if you run extended dial-up sessions on the Internet, we recommend the following security measures be taken:

• Disable File Sharing on Your Personal Computer - File sharing is a feature of Windows that allows other computers to access your computer, even from across the Internet. Microsoft has provided instructions on how to disable file sharing in Windows Help (Click Start, Help, then choose the 'Index' tab and type "file sharing, disabling").
  

Our recommendation is to disable file sharing. However, if you choose to retain this option for your particular environment, exercise due care and apply appropriate security measures.

• Install a Personal Firewall - Install and frequently update a proven firewall product, such as Personal Firewall Plus or Zone Alarm, to prevent unauthorized access to your computer.
• Get Computer Security Updates - Ensure that you are using a legally licensed operating system. You may be able to improve the security of your system by getting updates to help correct issues that may make your computer vulnerable to virus or worm attacks. As such, you should diligently apply security patches as they become available.
  

If you have a wireless network, there are additional measures that should be taken to protect your Internet connection:

• Use Encryption - Enable the highest level of encryption available for your router; newer wireless routers typically use Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), and older versions use Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). This will encrypt all data transferred between your computer and wireless router. In addition, devices without your encryption key cannot connect to your wireless router.
• Change your Default Password - All wireless routers are given a default administrator password by their manufacturers, so make sure to change this password to prevent unauthorized access to your wireless router.
• Change SSID (Service Set Identifier) - The SSID is the name of your wireless network. In order for a computer to connect to your wireless network, the SSID must be known. You should change the manufacturer's default SSID name to a unique name that will not be easily guessed, and has no direct connection to you or where you are located (e.g. don't use your last name or street address).
• Switch off SSID Broadcasting - You can further secure your network by disabling SSID broadcasting, which will hide your network from outsiders. It would be very difficult for an outsider to access your network once you have changed your SSID and turned off broadcasting, as they would have to start guessing the name of your network to access it.

Our online services are designed to be used with the current or immediately preceding version of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) or Google Chrome. Keep your operating system and browser current with updates as they are released. While our services generally function well with other browsers, we are unable to offer technical guidance should you experience difficulties.

While Maduro & Curiel's Bank believes these safe computing practices and included links provide reasonable but not absolute protection, the Bank makes no representation or warranty as to their intended use or fitness for the purpose. Any reference to a software provider is for convenience only and does not constitute an endorsement of that company's products. You must make your own decision with respect to their products.