Security

Just as you play a vital role in ensuring the security of your home and your possessions, you too share in the responsibility for ensuring that your personal information is adequately protected. In order for us to ensure that only you are accessing your accounts, we require a unique way of knowing that it's you. Just as the key to your home protects unwanted entry, the online banking 'key'—your Personal Access Code (PAC)—ensures that only you can access your accounts.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your PAC to the MemberDirect® site is protected. Please observe the following security practices:

• Select a PAC that is not easily guessable (eg 1234, 4321, 9999)
• Your PAC can be 10-30 digits.
• Keep your PAC confidential and do not share it with anyone.
• Do not write your PAC down or store it in a file on your computer.
• Never disclose your PAC in a voice or email, and do not disclose it over the phone.
• Ensure no one observes you typing in your PAC.
• Change your PAC on a regular basis. We suggest every 90-120 days.

Stronger PAC protection.

We are continuing to enhance our online banking security to ensure the highest level of security for our members. In addition to our existing safeguards, including encryption and security questions, we have introduced an enhanced Personal Access Code (PAC) for our online banking users.

When you set your PAC, you can now increase the strength of your password to include the following:

• Minimum of 10 characters
• Maximum of 30 characters
• Minimum of 1 Alpha character (Upper Case)
• Minimum of 1 Numeric character
• Minimum of 1 Special characters (see full list below)
• Spaces are not permitted

Special characters

• Exclamation mark: !
• Number sign: #
• Dollar sign: $
• Apostrophe (single quote): '
• Left parentheses (round bracket): (
• Right parentheses (round bracket): )
• Comma: ,
• Hyphen: -
• Period: .
• Forward slash: /
• Colon: :
• Question mark: ?
• At sign: @
• Vertical bar (pipe): |

Your PAC will impact all devices currently used to access online banking (desktop/laptop computer, mobile platform and Northern Credit Union app).  Your PAC will not apply to telephone banking, which will retain your existing PIN.

As best practice, it is important to not reuse the last 5 PACs you've used.

With Online Banking Alerts, you can receive notifications regarding your accounts through email, text message (SMS), or both. Now, you can stay up to date on what’s happening in your accounts without even having to log into online banking.

Receive alerts when

• Someone logs into your account
• Your account is locked from too many login attempts
• Your PAC is changed
• A new payee or recipient is added
• Your balance drops below a certain amount
• A deposit or withdrawal exceeds a certain amount
• If a scheduled payment/transfer may fail due to insufficient funds

You can setup which alerts you wish to receive and how you would like to receive them by logging into Online Banking and clicking on Messages and Alerts.

We have provided a secure channel for our Members to communicate with us. Once the information has reached your computer, it's up to you to protect it. To protect your information, you should:

• Always exit the MemberDirect® site using the logout button and close your browser if you step away from your computer. Your browser may retain information you entered in the login screen and elsewhere until you exit the browser.
• Secure or erase files stored on your computer by your browser so that others cannot read them. Most browsers store information in non-protected (unencrypted) files in the browser's cache to improve performance. These files remain there until erased. They can be erased using standard computer utilities or by using your browser feature to "empty" the cache.
• Disable automatic password-save features in the browsers and software you use to access the Internet.
• Install and use a quality anti-virus program. As new viruses are created every day, be sure to update your anti-virus program often. It is recommended you update anti-virus definitions weekly. Scan all download files, programs, disks and attachments and only accept files and programs from a trusted source.
• Install and use a personal firewall on your computer to ensure others cannot access your computer through the Internet.
• Install new security patches as soon as your operating system and Internet browser manufacturers make them available.
• Install an anti-spyware program and check your computer regularly.

You should be extra vigilant when using publicly available computers. Even if you adopt the tips above to protect your information, you need to bear in mind that even benign programs, like popular desktop search programs, can pose a security risk. Certain programs, such as Google Desktop, cache items that you have viewed so you – or potentially, an unwelcome third party – can easily search and find those pages again later.

If you come across a program like this when you are using a public computer, you can adjust the search program preferences so it does not store secure pages you wish to view. If you forgot to adjust the preferences before banking online, you can remove the stored items via the Google Desktop results page by clicking on the Remove items link.

To ensure a safe and secure Internet session, only visit reputable sites. If you visit any questionable web site before MemberDirect®, we recommend you close your browser and restart it before proceeding to MemberDirect®.