Password Security Recommendations

Weak passwords are a significant cause of Identity Theft, Email Compromise, and Financial Loss for InterBank customers and individuals/businesses world-wide.

Once a scammer/hacker cracks a password they may spend weeks or months monitoring your email messages, account/card history, Online Banking alerts, etc. waiting for the right time to steal funds from your account.

The first step to prevent this from happening is to have strong, unique passwords for every critical website, software, system that contains confidential information such as your account numbers, debit/credit card information, personal information such as Social Security Number, etc. Follow the guidelines below to prevent weak passwords and protect yourself from fraud.

Make your password long, strong and complex. That means at least 15 characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid common words, phrases or information in your passwords.

Don’t reuse passwords used on other accounts. Use different passwords for different accounts so that if a hacker compromises one account, he can’t access other accounts.

Use multi-factor authentication, when available. For accounts that support it, two-factor authentication requires both your password and an additional piece of information to log in. The second piece could be a code sent to your phone, or a random number generated by an app or token. This protects your account even if your password is compromised.

Consider a password manager. Most people have trouble keeping track of all of their passwords. Consider storing your passwords and security questions in a reputable password manager, an easy-to-access application that stores all your password information. Use a strong password to secure the information in your password manager.

Select security questions only you know the answer to. Many security questions ask for answers to information available in public records or online, like your zip code, mother’s maiden name, and birth place. That is information a motivated attacker can obtain. Don’t use questions with a limited number of responses that attackers can easily guess – like the color of your first car.

Change passwords quickly if there is a breach. If you receive a notification from a company about a possible breach, change that password and any account that uses a similar password immediately.

At InterBank, we take the safeguarding of your information seriously and encourage you to take steps in protecting your personal information.

If you have any questions or notice any unauthorized or suspicious activity on your account, contact your local InterBank branch immediately.