University Credit Union (UCU) is committed to making sure Home Branch is safe and secure. UCU has utilized some of the best security, firewall and encryption tools available today in the configuration of Home Branch. With this security infrastructure in place, we are confident that access to your accounts is private and secure.
Security Questions Used to Verify Users
University Credit Union uses security questions to verify Home Branch users. This method works to thwart fraudulent access to member information. Members are not asked the questions on each log-in. Incorrect answers will bar a user from accessing the account information.
New users will be asked to set up questions, while existing users may be asked to answer questions previously set up. If you have a joint owner on your account, please share your security answers with that owner (in case the questions are asked). Thank you for your understanding and help to keep information safe.
Browser Security and Digital Ids
Encryption helps protect your private information so that it cannot be intercepted and read by a third party. Encryption is the scrambling of information for transmission back and forth between two points. A session key is required to decode the information. When a connection is made, the client (PC) and server (UCU) negotiate this session key so that it is unique for every session. Through the use of these session keys the client and server can encrypt and decode every transmission between them. UCU's server uses up to 128-bit encryption depending on the browser used.
UCU's Home Branch also incorporates the use of digital identification. Home Branch sends a digital server certificate that your browser uses each time that you log in to verify that you are indeed connected to UCU.
As an added security feature, if your Home Branch session is inactive for several minutes, the session will "time out" and require you to re-enter your account and PIN for further access to your account.
Ways to protect yourself
Don't reveal your PIN to anyone else. Your PIN is designed to protect the privacy of your account information. If you think your PIN has been compromised, change it online immediately!
Don't walk away from your computer in the middle of a Home Branch session.
If anyone else is likely to use your computer, clear your memory cache or close and re-open your browser in order to eliminate copies of recently viewed pages. How you clear your cache will depend on the browser and version you have. This function is generally found in the preferences menu.
UCU requires that you use a browser with 128-bit encryption to conduct secure financial transactions with the highest encryption commercially available.
