A Bank Customer’s Guide to Cybersecurity

What Consumers Can Do... and What Banks and Regulators Are Doing ... to Help Prevent Online Fraud and Theft 

Download the A Bank Customer’s Guide to Cybersecurity (pdf).

A Cybersecurity Checklist

En Español

Reminders about 10 simple things bank customers can do to help protect their computers and their money from online criminals

  1. 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. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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). 
  4. Ignore unsolicited emails asking you to open an attachment or click on a link if you’re not sure it’s 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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. 
  8. 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.  
  9. 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.  
  10. 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’s network, and additional safety measures, such as requiring confirmation calls with your financial institution before certain electronic transfers are authorized. 

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has been publishing FDIC Consumer News quarterly since 1993 to help people protect their money, including tips in practically every issue about how to avoid financial fraud and theft.  A lot has changed over the years, especially consumers’ increased reliance on computers and the Internet — the “cyber” world — for everything from shopping and communicating to banking and bill paying.  While the benefits of faster and more convenient cyber services for bank customers are clear, the risks posed by these services, as well as the strategies for preventing or recovering from cyber-related crimes, may not be as well-known by the average consumer and small business owner. 

That is why the FDIC has produced this special edition of our newsletter — a guide to safe online banking that features precautions to take at home and when banking remotely (using laptop computers, smartphones and other mobile devices).  We include tips and information for parents and guardians wanting to protect their children from online fraud and identity theft, and for small businesses needing to secure their computer systems and data. You’ll also learn about what banks and bank regulators are doing to protect your money.

Note: This and other issues of FDIC Consumer News can be read or printed at www.fdic.gov/consumernews. Check back there for versions of this issue for e-readers and portable audio (MP3) players. Single copies of this special edition and articles referenced here are available upon request to the FDIC’s Public Information Center (toll-free 1-877-275-3342 or [email protected]). Our publication also may be reprinted in whole or in part without permission.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the nation’s consumer protection agency. The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace.