Security Policy
Polk County Bank is pleased to offer many electronic banking services via the internet. Protection of your accounts and non public personal information from unauthorized access is our highest priority. Therefore, we have chosen Fiserv to deliver internet services to customers in a manner that includes leading-edge electronic and online security measures.
After researching many different providers, Polk County Bank has chosen the Premier e-Commerce product to deliver these services to you. The Premier e-Commerce product ensures the best interface with Fiserv Des Moines, our core processor. In turn, Fiserv has enlisted the services of ISS (Internet Security Services) for communications and firewall/security protection. ISS has provided secure communications for many years and has earned the reputation of a trusted vendor. Fiserv and ISS provide continuous monitoring and auditing of all transactions originating from or outbound to the internet. We are committed to working with our service bureau and communications providers to produce the safest operating environment possible for our customers. The information below summarizes our security framework, which incorporates the latest proven technology. A section at the end summarizes your responsibilities as a user of the home banking system with regard to security. There are several levels of security within our security framework. User Level deals with cryptography and Netscape's Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, and is the first line of defense used by customers accessing our banking server from the public internet. Server Level focuses on firewalls, filtering routers, and our trusted operating system. Host Level deals specifically with our home banking and bill payment services, and the processing of secure financial transactions. The information below summarizes our security framework, which incorporates the latest proven technology
USER LEVEL
There are several components of User Level security that ensure the confidentiality of information sent across the public internet. The first requires your use of a fully SSL-compliant 128 bit encrypted browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. SSL is an open protocol developed by Netscape that allows a user's browser to establish a secure channel for communicating with our internet server. SSL utilizes highly effective cryptography techniques between your browser and our server to ensure that the information being passed is authentic, cannot be deciphered, and has not been altered en route. SSL also utilizes a digitally signed certificate, which ensures that you are truly communicating with the online banking server and not a third party trying to intercept the transaction.
After a secure connection has been established between your browser and our sever, you then provide a valid User ID and Security Code to gain access to the services. This information is encrypted, and a request to log on to the system is processed. Although SSL utilizes proven cryptography techniques, it is important to protect your User ID and Security Code from others.
You must follow the Security Code parameters we specify at the time you sign up for an Online banking account. We also recommend changing your Security code often. Session time-outs and a limit on the number of logon attempts are examples of other security measures in place to ensure that inappropriate activity is prohibited at the User Level.
SERVER LEVEL
All transactions sent to our banking server must first pass through a filtering router system. These filtering routers automatically direct the request to the appropriate server after ensuring the access type is through a secured browser and nothing else. The routers verify the source and destination of each network packet, and manage the authorization process of letting packets through. The filtering routers also prohibit all other types of internet access methods at this point. This process blocks all non-secured activity and defends against inappropriate access to the server.
The banking server is protected using the latest firewall platform. This platform defends against system intrusions and effectively isolates all but approved customer financial requests. The platform secures the hardware running the Online applications and prevents associated attacks against all systems connected to the Banking Server. The system is monitored 24-hours a day, seven days a week for a wide range of irregularities to determine if attempts are being made to breach our security framework.
HOST LEVEL
Once authenticated, the customer is allowed to process authorized home banking and bill payment transactions using host data. In addition, communication time-outs ensure that the request is received, processed, and delivered within a given time frame. Any outside attempt to delay or alter the process will fail. Further password encryption techniques are implemented at the host level, as well as additional security logging and another complete physical security layer to protect the host information itself.