Financial institutions have security systems so that the information between the bank and the client is confidential, avoiding its possible reading or manipulation by third parties. Some banks and savings banks allow the client scan your computer equipment, to verify that you can carry out any type of banking operation with complete security. Another system consists of showing the time and date of the last connection, in order to detect if there has been an entry outside the client.
New technologies applied to banking have made it possible for users to access and operate accounts from any computer or telephone. But if the user does not follow a series of precautions the cyber criminals they can violate access to your accounts. This is why consumer associations and financial institutions themselves urge users of this type of service to take a series of security measures to prevent customers from computer thieves make your goals come true.
First of all, when choosing an entity where to invest the money or carry out any type of banking operation via networkIt must be ensured that it is registered in the Register of Entities of the Bank of Spain, the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) or the General Directorate of Insurance, and that it is authorized to operate legally.
Online banking: security measures
The OCU recalls that banking customers on line, they may be more exposed to possible scams, so they should take extreme precautions through a series of measures, among which are: always keep passwords secret; use random access codes (preferably combining numbers and letters, but without resorting to obvious figures); avoid accessing the bank from public computers.
Check that you are browsing through secure pages (a padlock appears at the bottom right); not leave the computer until the session is over and turn it off later. Finally, it is emphasized that it is important to have the browsers updated with the security protocols and firewalls, as well as to save or print the copy of the operation, as proof.
Security certificate
Spanish banks as a whole are currently offering excellent security measures to shield their clients from possible attacks by computer criminals. One of these tools is the security certificate that guarantees the security and confidentiality of the data that are exchanged between the client and the financial institution. If when accessing the service, the browser does not recognize this certificate, it will indicate that it has expired, so it must be updated on the computer by double-clicking on the "padlock" that appears at the bottom of the screen and pressing "install certificate".
Regarding the transmission of information between the user's computer and the server websites of the financial institution, it should be noted that it is done through an SSL encryption protocol (Secure Socket Reader) 128 bits, the maximum encryption that currently exists. All these measures prevent third parties can see or modify said data.
In addition, to verify that you are operating on a secure website, the address of the page must begin with "httpS". Likewise, a “closed padlock” or a “key” should appear at the bottom of the screen. These tools available to banks and savings banks allow a double objective, on the one hand, that the client is communicating their data to the server center of the financial institution and not to any other that tries to impersonate it. And on the other, that between the client and the server center the data "travels" encrypted, avoiding its possible reading or manipulation by third parties.
Virus finder
Financial institutions in Spain in the face of the progressive increase in computer viruses and spyware (spyware left unintentionally installed, and that can capture the user's personal and financial information) that can affect the banking operations carried out by thousands and thousands of users have decided to increase and innovate the security measures in their websites, in which they offer practical information on any problem that happens to the client.
On a tour of the pages websites of banks and savings banks, it is clear that most of them have departments specifically dedicated to the issue of security, in which the user, apart from receiving information on the measures to be taken in these situations, receives an explanation about the security that the bank or savings bank has, as well as the services they offer.
Security systems
The most innovative is the one that Bankinter has launched by making a virus scanner specialized in the financial environment available to its clients, completely free of charge. The execution time is less than 30 seconds, updating automatically in each execution. This search engine uses a new technology Mode on line, detecting those viruses that are running on your computer at the moment of analysis. In this way, the user can use it as a complement to their traditional antivirus.
Requires Internet Explorer 5.5 or later versions. When launching the analysis of the equipment, the download of a file type is executed Active X whose process may take a few seconds, during which the antivirus execution screen will be left without content. It also has another tool to increase security in the operations carried out by its clients.
Avoid risks
It involves entering the coordinates of your key card each time the user signs an operation, it is performed using a graphic panel, a system that allows you to avoid the risk of programs known as "Trojans", which try to capture information by pressing the keyboard. “We subject our information systems to periodic intrusion tests, both internal and external.”, They point out from Bankinter.
The implementation of these measures for security allows customers who use the bank on line They are in a safe environment and the transactions you carry out, consultation of your personal accounts, transfers, sale of securities, etc., are in a totally satisfactory way without any negative surprise. That is why many entities have decided to expand these systems. This is the case of Banco Sabadell, which has started using the electronic signature on your e-mails. This method guarantees the identity of the issuer, who has received the validation of his email address by means of the electronic signature through a digital certification authority, and that, at the same time, “Technically guarantees that the content of the message is not altered in transit by third parties”, They affirm from the Valleys bank.
Capture the information
Other efficient formulas that Spanish banking has been developing to prevent third parties from seeing or capturing the information that is exchanged, to offer greater security is a system of automatic disconnection, which disconnects the user in the event that a few minutes have elapsed without having performed any operation, as well as the appearance in the websites of the date and time of the last connection, so that the client can detect if there has been a connection not made by it. BBK and “la Caixa” are an example of the many financial institutions that have decided to apply this system to avoid fraud over the Internet.
Another variant is the one applied by "la Caixa" for those people who use the "Línea Abierta", protecting them through the "CaixaProtect ”, which has a system to protect against fraud or theft, "Without assuming any responsibility or expense for fraudulent use by the customer”, They explain from the entity. An immediate notice is only required when an irregularity is detected. One of its main advantages is that “If we have your mobile number, we will automatically notify you of the higher amount operations carried out with your cards or on Línea Abierta via SMS messages.
Basic tips
Finally, there are a series of recommendations so that the protection of the computer and the information it contains is satisfactory:
- Install an antivirus system on the computer and keep it permanently updated.
- Avoid opening emails of unknown origin.
- Refresh your personal computer with the latest recommended security updates for your operating system and browser.
- You should not install any of strange or suspicious origin.
Likewise, they indicate that you should always check that the data is entered under a secure connection (when the symbol of a closed padlock appears in your browser). If a connection is made from a public or shared computer, the browser's cache (temporary Internet files) must be cleared to remove any data entered. It is convenient to access the bank directly from your browser (by typing the address of the financial institution) and not from links on pages that offer little confidence. And remember that the "User Code" and "Personal Password" are personal and confidential data, which they recommend to change periodically.
Recommendations about your computer
Prevention is the best weapon that Internet banking users have to protect their identity, through simple operations that will preserve the computer equipment from possible external attacks that may affect any banking movement that is made. These are some of them:
- Have the browser version updated.
- Periodically eliminate cookies of the computer.
- Make backup copies and keep the operating system up to date with the latest updates.
- Do not share files or printers with third parties.
- Periodically check the pages visited. This operation can be done by consulting the "History" option of the browser.