Safe Banking

Keep these tips in mind while banking online:

• Avoid using internet banking on shared computers and public places like cafés and libraries.
• Always remember to log-off on internet banking and close your browser when you have finished your online banking.
• Disable the ‘AutoComplete’ function within your browser.
• Install firewall and anti-virus software and keep it up to date to help detect and disable malicious software.

Guidelines to create a strong password

A strong password is the key to secure your bank account and protect your personal details from hackers, and a good password is the one that is extremely difficult to guess by any human or machine. This password strength can only be achieved by making it complicated by incorporating the following characteristics:

Characteristics of strong passwords

• Make your passwords long. Have at least 8 characters.
• Use a mixture of characters including both uppercase and lowercase letters.
• A mixture of letters and numbers will make the password even more strong
• Add at least one special character, like.,! @ # ? ]

While everyone tries their best to create strong password, there are always some loopholes that can make such passwords weak and susceptible to risk.Following are some of those examples:

Examples of weak passwords

• If the password is a word that can be found in any dictionary, in any language (e.g., cylinder or cilindro).
• A series of characters on a keyboard (e.g., qwerty or poiuy).
• A series of characters or in a repeated manner (e.g., CCCC or 12345).
• Personal information like birthdays, Aadhaar number, names of pets, friends, addresses).

Creating a strong password is not the only thing to keep your bank account secure forever, the next step is to maintain a strong password for a long period of time. Here are some important tips to do that:

Tips for keeping your password secure

• Keep changing your password once every three to six months.
• Immediately change your password if you have the slightest suspicion that the password is being accessed by someone else.
• Never save passwords or use it on unofficial websites.
• Avoid typing it on computers that you do not trust; for example, in an Internet café.
• Never save it for a web form on a computer that you do not control or that is used by more than one person.
• Never tell it to anyone.
• Never write it down.

Make sure your account information is safe

• Change your internet banking password regularly and never disclose it to anyone.
• Always use strong password with alphanumeric passwords which cannot be guessed easily and for multiple accounts, use different passwords.
• Do not write them down.
• Do not give your account information to telemarketers or to callers claiming to confirm or verify your account information.