A business tool, source of entertainment, and gateway to the Internet, your computer can also be a threat to your privacy and financial security if you fail to ensure the safety of your online experience.
Online Safety Tips
- Protect yourself from viruses. Logging on to the Internet is like walking into a room full of coughing, sniffling people. You may be healthy at first, but eventually you’re liable to catch something. In the same way, your computer can contract a virus when it comes in contact with one of these “bugs” on the Internet. To protect yourself, always use anti-virus software and keep it up to date.
- Use email wisely. Information you want to keep private should not be sent in an email. This includes correspondence with SchoolsFirst FCU. Never list account numbers, access codes, or passwords in an email.
- Don’t talk to strangers. Never open an email or download a program or attachment from an unknown source—doing so is the most common way to catch a computer virus. Experts recommend that you never open files ending in certain extensions like .exe, and you should keep your security level set to high to automatically block access to these risky programs.
- Don’t use easy passwords. The easier it is to guess your password, the less chance it has of stopping an unauthorized person from using your computer and possibly accessing your sensitive information. Use a complicated mix of numbers and upper- and lower-case letters. Change your passwords frequently.
- Disconnect when you’re done. If you leave your computer online all day and walk away from it, you’re making yourself vulnerable to hackers. Simply disconnecting your Internet connection solves this problem.
- Online banking requires strong security. Your credit union has taken the strongest possible steps to secure your online information and banking services. That’s why our Online Banking system supports military-grade security levels to ensure the confidentiality of your personal and financial information while conducting transactions online.
You can also check out MSN’s Staying Safe Online web site at www.staysafeonline.org.