Cybersecurity Awareness
Reminders about 10 simple things bank customers can do to help protect their computers and their money from online criminals.
- Have computer security programs running and regularly updated to look for the latest threats. Install anti-virus software to protect against malware (malicious software) that can steal information such as account numbers and passwords, and use a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your computer.
- Be smart about where and how you connect to the Internet for banking or other communications involving sensitive personal information. Public Wi-Fi networks and computers at places such as libraries or hotel business centers can be risky if they don’t have up-to-date security software.
- Get to know standard Internet safety features. For example, when banking or shopping online, look for a padlock symbol on a page (that means it is secure) and “https://” at the beginning of the Web address (signifying that the website is authentic and encrypts data during transmission).
- Ignore unsolicited emails asking you to open an attachment or click on a link if you’re not sure who truly sent it and why. Cybercriminals are good at creating fake emails that look legitimate, but can install malware. Your best bet is to either ignore unsolicited requests to open attachments or files or to independently verify that the supposed source actually sent the email to you by making contact using a published email address or telephone number.
- Be suspicious if someone contacts you unexpectedly online and asks for your personal information. A safe strategy is to ignore unsolicited requests for information, no matter how legitimate they appear, especially if they ask for information such as a Social Security number, bank account numbers and passwords.
- Use the most secure process you can when logging into financial accounts. Create “strong” passwords that are hard to guess, change them regularly, and try not to use the same passwords or PINs (personal identification numbers) for several accounts.
- Be discreet when using social networking sites. Criminals comb those sites looking for information such as someone’s place of birth, mother’s maiden name or a pet’s name, in case those details can help them guess or reset passwords for online accounts.
- Be careful when using smartphones and tablets. Don’t leave your mobile device unattended and use a device password or other method to control access if it’s stolen or lost.
- Parents and caregivers should include children in their cybersecurity planning. Talk with your child about being safe online, including the risks of sharing personal information with people they don’t know, and make sure the devices they use to connect to the Internet have up-to-date security.
- Small business owners should have policies and training for their employees on topics similar to those provided in this checklist for customers, plus other issues that are specific to the business. For example, consider requiring more information beyond a password to gain access to your business network, and additional safety measures, such as requiring confirmation calls with your financial institution before certain electronic transfers are authorized.
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Mobile Security
You can confidently use PCB Bank's Mobile Financial Services to keep your financial information safe. PCB Bank uses the latest technology to ensure the security and confidentiality of your information.
Protect Yourself:
- Call immediately if you believe that your Online ID or Password has been lost or stolen at 213-355-8833.
- Use a strong password on any app that accesses your network. Logout of the app when you're not using it. That way, no one else can access the app if your phone is lost or stolen.
- Never store personal information like passwords or PIN numbers in texts, notes or emails that are accessible through your mobile device.
- Be cautious of mobile malware and malicious software that is installed. Protect your mobile device by installing Antivirus software and keep virus definition up to date.
- Always lock your phone when it's not in use. Set your phone to automatically lock after being idle for a set amount of time.
- Set your phone to use a longer and stronger password than the default 4-digit unlock code if this option is available on your phone. For even better security, set your phone to erase all data after a set number of bad password attempts.
- Avoid public or unprotected Wi-Fi. Use a trusted and secure Wi-Fi source whenever you log in to online or mobile banking.
- Do not root or jailbreak your mobile device to get around limitations set by your carrier or manufacturer. This will remove all the protections built into the device to defend against mobile threats.
- Keep your mobile operating system up-to-date by installing the latest updates to ensure maximum security.
- Use caution when downloading banking apps. Only install apps from reputable sources such as the Apple® App Store, Google™ Play, or a direct link from your financial institution's website.
- Never send any personal information (account numbers, social security numbers, passwords, etc.) via text message. These are not secure and can be intercepted by hackers.
- Do not store private information on your phone.
- Beware of mobile phishing. Avoid clicking links and attachments in emails and texts, especially from senders you don't know.
For more information on mobile financial services and security tips please visit the link below:
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BEWARE OF GODFATHER MALWARE
What is Godfather threat?Godfather is designed to allow threat actors to harvest login credentials for banking applications and other financial services, and drain the accounts. Its victims include various international targets, including banking applications, cryptocurrency wallets, and crypto exchange. Godfather malware is typically distributed through third-party app stores, phishing emails, or malicious links.
How to protect yourself from Godfather malware.- Download and install software only from official app stores like Google Play Store or the iOS App Store. And check whether the app you are downloading is exactly the one you wanted and not some imitator.
- Use strong passwords and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible.
- Be very careful before opening any links received via SMS or emails delivered to your phone.
- Ensure that Google Play Protect is enabled on Android devices.
- Be careful while enabling any permissions. Reading carefully what you are allowing an app to do helps you flag unusual and suspicious requests.