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Ensuring a secure Online Express internet banking experience for
you is our number one priority. Farmers Trust & Savings Bank
makes Online Express secure by:
- Protecting the privacy
and the confidentiality of the communications between your browser
and our servers.
- Maintaining network security
by isolating our computers from the Internet.
- Verifying that only authorized
persons are allowed to access online banking.
The privacy of the communications between you (your browser) and
our servers is ensured using encryption. Encryption scrambles messages
exchanged between your browser and our online banking server. Encryption
happens as follows:
- When you log in to Online Express, your browser
establishes a secure session with our E-commerce server. The secure
session is established using a protocol called Secure Sockets
Layer (SSL) Encryption. This protocol requires the exchange of
what are called public and private keys. Keys are random numbers
chosen for that session and are only known between your browser
and our server.
- After the keys are exchanged, your browser
will use the numbers to scramble (encrypt) the messages sent between
your browser and our server. Both sides require the keys because
they need to de-scramble (decrypt) the messages when they are
received.
The SSL protocol, not only ensures privacy, but also ensures that
no other browser can "impersonate" your browser, nor alter
any of the information sent. You can tell whether your browser is
in secure mode by looking for the secured lock symbol at the bottom
of your browser window.
The numbers used as encryption keys are analogous to combination
locks. The strength of encryption is based on the number of possible
combinations that a lock can have.
As the number of possible combinations grows, it becomes less likely
that anyone would be able to guess the combination in order to decrypt
the message. Today's browsers offer 40-bit encryption or 128-bit
encryption but 128-bit encryption results in a larger number of
combinations and a greater level of security. We require the use
of 128-bit capable browsers.
We provide a number of additional security features in Online Express.
Online Express will "timeout" after a specified period
of inactivity. This prevents curious persons from continuing your
Online Express session in case you have left your PC unattended
without logging out. However, we recommend that you always sign-off
(log out) when you are done with your Online Express session.
The network architecture used to provide the online banking service
was designed by the brightest minds in network technology. While
the architecture is too complex to explain here, it is important
to point out that the computers that store your actual account information
are not hooked up to the Internet. The requests you make through
the Internet are handled by our E-commerce server, which retrieves
the information you requested from our mainframe via a firewall.
Our firewall is maintained and monitored around the clock by an
outside provider specializing in Internet Security for financial
institutions. The firewall utilizes current firewall software and
an intrusion detection system.
It is also important to verify that only authorized persons log
in to Online Express. This is achieved by verifying your Access
ID and Password. When you log on, your Access ID and Password are
compared with the information we have stored in our system.
We allow you to enter your password incorrectly three (3) times.
If you enter your password incorrectly three times, you will not
be able to access Online Express products and services until you
contact us to reinitialize the account. We monitor and record "bad-login"
attempts to detect any suspicious activity (i.e., someone trying
to guess your password).
Password security requirements make passwords more secure. Your
Online Express password must be at least eight characters in length
and include uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers.
Our policies and practices can only succeed to the extent of our
responsibility. You carry the main burden for protecting
your privacy, deflecting attempts to steal from you your information
or assets, and for protecting your identity. You can help
by following these simple rules:
- Never use passwords that are easy to guess.
Examples of bad passwords are: Birth dates, first names, pet names,
addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, etc.
- Never reveal your password to another person.
- You should periodically change your password
by selecting the Change Password option from the Preferences menu
in Online Express.
- Log Off and close your browser when you are
finished with your Online Express internet banking session.
- Open mail from the Bank promptly and reconcile
your statements regularly. At a minimum, review your Bank statements
each month for irregularities.
- Protect your social security number, debit
and credit card numbers, account passwords, access codes and other
personal information. Take measures to minimize the damage in
case your purse or wallet is stolen.
- Protect your incoming and outgoing mail. Destroy
items you are discarding that contain personal financial information.
Before disposing of solicitations you receive, tear them through
to make identity theft more difficult.
- Do business with reputable people.
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