Security of your information
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ABOUT SSL CERTIFICATES |
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The Society takes the security of your personal information very seriously and our web site has been designed with this in mind. |
Entering your details
All of the information you enter on this web site is sent to us securely. The data is 'strongly' encrypted, making it virtually impossible to read without a 'key' to decipher it. It is stored in a secure area that can only be accessed by authorised persons.
For customers using our online application forms, if you're unhappy about filling in any personal information simply leave it blank online and write it in on the printed form before you sign it and return it to us.
How you can confirm this
- Look for the Lock symbol:
Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers show you that a website area is secure when an unbroken key or a lock appears in the bottom right of your browser window. Right-click on the icon and details of a security certificate will appear - if they don't then don't trust the web site to secure your personal information.
The website address will also become prefixed with "https:" when you enter personal information.
It's important that the browser you use supports the 128-bit encryption that our site uses, for example Internet Explorer version 5 and above.
- 2. Check the Certificate
A web site's certificate is another way of letting you know that it is secure. The certificate is issued by a certificate authority to let Internet users know that the website is genuine. The certificate details are visible when double-clicking on the Lock symbol.
Cookies
No cookie files are used for collecting personal information from the website, nor does this website store cookie files on your computer.
The Society's website only records your computer's Internet identifier and session information (such as the duration of the your visit and the type of browser used). This information is only used for system administration purposes and to provide statistics for evaluating use of the website.
Phishing for your details
Beware of e-mails that ask you to re-confirm your whole password and/or
personal bank details (e.g. because they have been lost) by keying them into a website that looks familiar to you. It is unlikely you would tell anyone your credit card PIN without knowing what it would be used for - so why give away your password ?
See http://www.antiphishing.org/ for more information about fraudulent web sites.
Keeping your computer secure
A home computer installed with an Operating System straight out of its box will not be secure by default, unless it has pre-installed security software as set out below.
The Internet is not considered to be a secure environment. Whilst connected to the Internet without any security protection, your computer can be (silently) infected with malicious computer programs, which are then used to attack other computers.
Protect your home computer by installing and maintaining:
- A personal firewall - to detect and block abnormal network activity directed at your computer. This activity is usually automated, and as soon as an insecure computer is found then it will become a target. Always-on Internet connections (such as broadband) are most at risk from malicious scanning. Download free firewall software from
www.zonelabs.com or www.prevx.com
(please note that the West Brom takes no responsibility for the operation of this software on your computer).
- Anti-virus software - to detect viruses. There are 2 main varieties - one type is dependent on the updating of its database of known viruses and the other type (known as "heuristic") is not. If you do not keep anti-virus software up-to-date then it will soon become
useless, update it every time you go on-line. Alternatively use a free home PC virus-scanning service.
- An e-mail content filter - e-mail is the prime source of malicious software, in the form of infected file attachments. Do not open or reply to any e-mail unless you are certain of its source, and you trust it. The
Delete key is the best way to deal with suspicious e-mail.
- An Internet website filter - to block access to offensive web sites and prevent spyware from being installed. Viruses can be downloaded from web sites often accidentally and unknowingly, these have been known to change a dial-up modem's telephone number so that your Internet connection becomes premium-rate. Close on-line pop-up advertisement windows by using the
X icon, not by clicking OK.
For more details about making your computer secure, please refer to these web sites:
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