Security
It goes without saying that security is a critical and important issue. That's why Heritage Building Society is a member of AusCERT, the Internet security body. The Heritage on-line software has been developed with a view to keeping the amount of data requested by you from our host computer to the absolute minimum.
COMMUNICATION LINKS
A high speed serial communications line can cope very well with these requests.
The Web Server uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) – a public/private key based encryption system that enables us to secure all packets of information transferred between the Web Server’s secured directories and the members PC over the Internet. The encryption is both ways i.e. packets generated by the Server and packets generated by the Client (member) are encrypted.
STRONG ENCRYPTION
Encryption is the conversion of data into a form that cannot be easily intercepted by unauthorized people. Its purpose is to ensure privacy by keeping the information hidden from anyone for whom it is not intended (even those who can see the encrypted data). Encryption is based on complex mathematics. When you send and receive data from a secure site (https) you can be assured all communications are encrypted.
In late June 1997 the US Department of Commerce removed the regulations prohibiting US companies from exporting encryption software outside of the USA that contains security keys of greater than 40-bit in length. Heritage Online uses security software with 128-bit encryption. 128 bit encryption provides far greater security than 40 bit encryption and ensures the confidentially of your information.
OTHER SECURITY AND SAFETY FEATURES INCLUDE:
- Browser login page encryption
- Password Anonymity Member chosen passwords
- Passwords encoded with one way algorithm
- Password control from host (Not web server)
- Passwords can be a variable length between 5 and 12 characters
- Separate Pay Anyone password
- Automatic lockout after multiple failed login attempts
- Virtual keyboard to aid in prevention of the capture of your password
- Users can change their password at anytime
- Passwords are not displayed on screen
- The initial password must be changed on the first use of Heritage on-line
- Alphabetic and numeric characters are allowed in the password
- Login page unable to be cached
- Login page refreshed whenever called
- Timeouts for inactivity when session open (10 minutes)
- 128 bit SSL encryption of data
- System lock out if browser unable to support encryption
- Host system security
- Daily funds transfer limits
- Daily BPay limits to financial institutions
- Ability to disable BPay and or Funds Transfer
- View session history
- A return confirmation e-mail is sent on all balance altering transactions
SOME TERMINOLOGY SIMPLIFIED
SSL, is the Secure Socket Layers protocol (communications standard). It supports server and client authentication and was designed specifically for Internet transactions by Netscape Communications Corporation.
Encryption is a process based on complex mathematics, whereby data is scrambled into meaningless rubbish, which can only be unscrambled with user unique ‘keys’.
Encryption Keys: The sender and receiver have an individual unique set of public and private keys. The public key is sent with the data and is only decoded by the private key of the recipient.
Digital Signature is created by a computation between the sender’s private key and message/data to be sent. This is attached to the message or data and sent. The recipient then computes the signature, the data and senders public key to finally unscramble the actual message/data.
MORE INFORMATION
VeriSign
RSA LABORATORIES
RSA Laboratories is the research and consulting division of RSA Data Security, Inc., the company founded by the inventors of the RSA public-key cryptosystem.
THE WORLD WIDE WEB CONSORTIUM
The W3C was founded in October 1994 to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. They have a number of papers on security and other related information.