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Our security measures
Verify that the site is secure Look out for the secure padlock Ensure that the site is legitimate Safeguard your PIN code Change your PIN regularly Don't allow your browser software to save your Password Install and maintain anti-virus software Our security measures We understand that some of our clients are concerned about the security and confidentiality of sending and receiving confidential information over the Internet. Be assured that we take the security of your business and personal information very seriously. We take all reasonable steps to protect our systems against intrusion or any other form of attack or compromise. In addition to your Vault Number and PIN Code, we use 128 bit encryption to ensure the security of your online transmissions. At all points where sensitive information is being entered and whenever you retrieve any information from your Vault, this 128-bit encryption layer is used. Verify that the site is secure Check that the website with which you are transacting with is a secure site. The Verisign process is available on the myCertificates website and we strongly suggest that you familiarise yourself with it to ensure security when transacting. On the Home page, just click on the Verisign logo and follow the instructions. Look out for the secure padlock When visiting transactional websites look out for a small padlock, which is shown in the lower right-hand corner of your browser. The padlock tells you that you are running in SSL (secure socket layer) mode, in which every request you send is encrypted (scrambled and encoded) using a certificate from a legitimate security authority. IMPORTANT NOTE: Customers using certain versions of Internet Explorer, may, when clicking on the padlock icon to view the certificate, see the following error message: 'This certificate has failed to verify for all of its intended purposes.' This scenario is a browser issue, which has been documented by Microsoft. Internet Explorer users who see this message displayed should be assured that their connection is secure. The display message is symptomatic of an Internet Explorer bug - the underlying connection remains secure. Microsoft have offered the following comments regarding this display error: Cause: This can occur if Internet Explorer interprets a specific object ID in the contents of some Server Gated Cryptography (SGC) certificates. Resolution: This affects only the user interface; Internet Explorer still communicates by using the secure connection. If you click the Certificate Path tab in the dialog box, you see the message "This certificate is OK" in the Certificate Status box. Ensure that the site is legitimate When you type in a website address, check the address at the top of your browser, since you could be diverted to a spoof website, where your access details could become compromised. Safeguard your PIN code Never divulge your PIN to anyone - including myCertificates staff. No person besides you has the right to that information. Keep your PIN secret, since divulging this information could be used by a third party to access your Vault contents. Be particularly cautious when using public computer terminals - don't allow people to watch you typing in your information, and ensure that the browser does not store your PIN code. Change your PIN regularly To further ensure your exclusive online access, you should change your PIN code regularly. Use a PIN code that is difficult to guess, i.e. a combination of numbers and letters in random order e.g. hql67f3a Don't allow your browser software to save your Password Your browser may have a setting that stores PIN codes and personal details. Although this can be convenient when you are using your personal PC at home, it is very dangerous if someone else might use the browser after you. If your browser offers to remember your PIN code or any passwords for you - do not click yes. Install and maintain anti-virus software A virus is a malicious program that destroys data on your computer. Viruses are often received via e-mail. To protect yourself from viruses, you should install credible anti-virus software and keep this anti-virus software up to date. Do not open e-mails from people you do not know, and never open an attachment or run a program file unless you are completely sure that they are safe. |