Online Banking Security Safeguards

Adams Community Bank is committed to helping to ensure the safety of your financial identity, your financial assets and your personal information. The information that follows is a collection of practices that if followed will help to ensure your safety. Note however, that these security practices are not all inclusive and foolproof from preventing theft. NOTE: Important additional considerations for business customers are noted separately below.

• Be suspicious of e-mails purporting to be from a financial institution, government department or other agency requesting account information, account verification or banking access credentials such as usernames, passwords, PIN codes and similar information. Adams Community Bank will never call you and ask for personal or business information over the telephone or request information via e-mail.
• Create a strong password with at least 14 characters that includes one uppercase character, one lowercase character, one number and one special character.
• Change your password periodically throughout the year.
• Never share your username and / or password with anyone including third party providers.
• To avoid phishing attacks, be cautious of clicking links in e-mails and do so only if you confirm it is from a trusted source.
• Type in the URL of the reputable site to which you want to authenticate and avoid clicking links that will direct you there unless you can confirm it is from a trusted source.
• Install commercial anti-virus and desktop firewall software on all computer workstations. Free software may not provide the level of protection against the latest threats that a licensed industry standard product can.
• Ensure virus protection and security software are updated regularly.
• Ensure computer updates are completed regularly or as requested, particularly operating systems and key applications. It is often possible to sign up for automatic updates or update notifications for your operating system and many applications.
• Consider installing a spyware detection program or software.
• Note any changes in the performance of your computer such as loss of speed, changes in the way things appear, unexpected rebooting or restarting of your computer, unusual pop up messages, inability to shut down or restart. If you recognize anything unusual, contact your IT professional immediately.
• Verify use of a secure session by noting the https (not http) in the browser’s web address bar and looking for the picture of the lock in the bottom right hand corner of your browser.
• Avoid using automatic login features that save usernames and passwords for online banking.
• Never leave a computer unattended while using online banking and regularly close your browser.
• Do not use public internet access points (Internet cafes, public WIFI hotspots such as airports, public libraries, etc.) to access accounts or personal information.
• Keep abreast of the continuous cyber threats that occur.
• Enroll and check your email alerts (available online banking security options). Reviewing them immediately can protect against fraudulent activity on your account.
• Familiarize yourself with ACB’s Online Banking Disclosure and your liability for fraud under the Agreement. Our Disclosure can be found on the ACB Online Banking Service Center tab and these Security Safeguards can be found on the Online Banking Login section.
• Immediately escalate any suspicious activity or transactions to an ACB representative by calling 413-743-0001. Click here for locations and hours. There is a limited recovery window for fraudulent transactions and immediate escalation may prevent further loss.

BUSINESS CUSTOMERS: (In addition to the above)

Business Banking Security and Best Practices protecting your business’s financial assets is a top priority at Adams Community Bank but we cannot do it alone. Just as you protect your business’s physical location from intruders by activating a burglar alarm at closing time, your business’s computers must be protected from cyber thieves attempting to exploit weaknesses in your computer network. Please be aware that FDIC Insurance or Regulation E (the Electronic Funds Transfer Act) does not cover fraud losses for business customers. Adams Community Bank recommends that all business owners discuss online fraud protection with their insurance carriers to ensure they are adequately protected in the event of a loss. Harden your computer against cyber-attacks. Computers that are not appropriately protected can become an open gateway for cyber criminals to access your online account or perform malicious activity. Unfortunately, antivirus products alone are not enough to protect you from malware that can give cyber criminals control of your computers.

• Transaction Review: Check your account balances and transaction activity daily and report any suspicious activity to ACB immediately.
• Require dual control of bill payments. Each transaction should be drafted by one employee and approved by another.
• Limit administrative rights on workstations.
• Be sure that all employees that participate in online banking are aware of these tips.
• Minimize the number of, and restrict the functions for, computer workstations and laptops that are used for online banking and payments. A workstation used for online banking is best if not be used for general web browsing, e-mailing and social networking.

Adams Community Bank provides online business banking to its business customers to add convenience for conducting financial transactions, but we cannot assume liability for fraud on business accounts as a result of malware and system vulnerabilities on our customers’ information technology systems. Our business customers must ensure that adequate security controls are in place on their information technology systems before accessing online banking to minimize risk. Business customers are contractually obligated to maintain the security of their computers and must monitor their accounts proactively and frequently. This means that you will be responsible for any fraudulent financial activity on your account if your business’s computers or accounts are compromised. Business customers who use their information technology systems to house proprietary, financial or personnel information should employ an Information Security professional periodically to conduct a thorough review of their systems and security controls.

Revised: 02/04/2022