Important Warnings about Online Banking
- Alternatif Bank does not request your personal identification or credit card information via SMS or email. Please disregard any links to fake web sites and messages that try to obtain your credit card information. Alternatif Bank does not request you to enter your credit card information when making payments such as bills, utility bills, or GSM top-up.
- Alternatif Bank never asks for T.R. Identity No. and/or information like mobile telephone brand or model when logging into Online Banking. Do not enter any information on any pop-up screen.
- Make sure to type in https://online.alternatifbank.com.tr/Login/FirstLevel when logging into Online Banking.
- Please carefully read the security notifications sent to you by Alternatif Bank and follow-up the current information on the security page.
Important Mobil Banking Warnings
- The Alternatif Bank Digital Mobil Banking application is available for download from the Apple Store or Google Play Store application markets.
- To be protected against malicious applications, make sure to uncheck the “non-market application download” option in the device settings.
- Never download anything through a link sent to your device except from Apple Store or Google Play Store.
Customers Must Take the Following Measures
- Do not log into Online Banking at places such as internet cafes where computers and internet access are shared.
- Do not set passwords that are easy to guess such as names or date of birth of your kin, favorite team, special days or dates, or telephone numbers. Also, for security reasons, do not use the same password everywhere.
- Do not write down any of your passwords anywhere or share them with anyone. Do not save your passwords on your computer or browser.
- Make sure to use virtual keyboard when logging into Online Banking.
- Do not use copied or unlicensed software on computers or devices used for access, and opt for current versions of software.
- Keep the operating system and web browser up to date. Keep track of software developer’s updates and perform regular updates so as to ensure protection and smooth working of the computer.
- Use licensed and updated “Anti-Virus” software on computers and mobile phones.
- Use Firewall and keep these software actively working on your computer. Firewall software can prevent unauthorized access to the computer.
- Do not use automatic identification function on your web browser. This function keeps all information, including the previously entered passwords. For security reasons, it must be inactivated.
- Files downloaded by internet browsers must be cleaned often. When you enter certain websites, applications and small software embedded to these sites collect information on the visiting person. Collected information are stored on a file with .txt extension. These files are called “Cookies,” or Identification Information. Cookie files store information on the websites visited and on the forms filled out on these web sites. Cookies can’t be used to spread a virus. However, they make it easier for your information to fall into the hands of people with malicious intent. Also, when you visit a website, certain unnecessary files are stored in the “Temporary Internet Files” folder. Perform the following steps to delete the files and Cookies, which may contain sensitive information. This operation is called “Cache” cleaning.
For Internet Explorer:
- Go to Tools – Internet Options – Browsing History menu; select all option in the pop-up menu and click on the “delete” button to remove all history.
For Google Chrome:
- Go to Settings – History – Clear Browsing Data; in the pop-up menu, click on “the beginning of” and then on the “Clear browsing data” button.
- Additionally, the level of security must always be set to maximum. Inactivating the automatic form filling and password saving options will ensure safer browsing.
- When you visit Online Banking, check your last account activities and credit card spending. In the event of any unusual activity call Alternatif Bank Call Center on 444 00 55 / 0850 225 00 55.
- Delete without opening any emails you receive from people you don’t know. Even if the emails are from people you know, do not open unsafe files in the attachment.
- If you are using an ADSL modem to access the internet, you need to replace the default password to one that is difficult to figure out. You must also set a complex password for the wireless network of this modem.
- It is critical to ensure the security of the computer you access Online Banking. When you are using Online Banking, do not leave your computer unattended and ensure that any other users of your computer are paying utmost attention to security. If your internet connection is cut off, make sure to stay by your computer until you close the Online Banking screen.
- Use only secure wireless networks when logging into Internet Branch or Mobile Branch.
- Log out from Alternatif Bank Online Banking by making sure to click the “Secure Logout” button.
- Do not give you your mobile phone to others while the Alternatif Bank Digital application is open and make sure to click the “Secure Logout” button to log out.
Some Malicious Software and Attack Types
Trojan Horse: Useful or interesting-looking software that harms your computer when installed and opened. They can be hidden inside a harmless program such as games or software that provide instant information. They can also be made to look like something else. Harmful codes become activated after an email or attachment containing a Trojan Horse is opened. They are extremely difficult to detect, and usually infect computers through emails. They can also be hidden in many other places such as CDs, DVDs, and .jpg, .gif, .txt, .doc and .xls files in email attachments, and application files with extension ”.exe” in computer games.
Keyloggers and Screenloggers: Keylogger software instantaneously copy and record keyboard strokes on the computer to be sent to hackers via email. These programs can record everything that is typed in with the keyboard. Obtained records are stored in text file with “.txt” extension. By their nature, they can be used to capture the victims’ passwords and private correspondence. Screenloggers are programs that save screen shots and send them to the attacker via email. With captured screen shots, the user’s actions and where the passwords are entered can be seen easily. Keyloggers and screenloggers work as components that complement each other in fraudulent actions.
iSpyNow, Perfect Keylogger, and Phantom are some these malicious software. Parents can also install them on computers to prevent their children from visiting harmful sites and to create a tracking system.
Hackers can install malicious keyloggers into insufficiently protected computers that are open to remote control. Users can also inadvertently install keyloggers through different methods such as games, emails, and so on. When Online Banking is accessed from a computer into which a keylogger program has been installed, hackers can obtain all the information on that computer.
There are also “Trojans” that record screen shots as moving images like a film, rather than images, to provide access to all saved information on the computer. These types of programs are very likely to be found on insufficiently protected computers which are used by a lot of people in public places such as internet cafes.
Phishing: A type of attack that aims to obtain someone’s sensitive information such as pin, password, customer number, user name, credit card number, and so on. It is the most common fraud method used on the internet. Online phishing actions can obtain information such as credit card number, debit/ATM card number, CVV2, pin and passwords, account numbers, and user code and password used to log into Online Banking, date of birth, and identification card information.
Phishing attacks involve the spread of fake emails that are seemingly sent from financial institutions and organizations, government agencies, or retail companies via the internet with a supposedly urgent or critical subject.
The subject line of the email can be updating customer information or changing password, and they can contain links to the related institutions’ identical-looking web pages. These emails give the impression that it is the institution officialy asking for the persons’ pin, password, customer number, user name, credit card number, or codes. People click on the links provided in these emails and enter personal information on the screen without realizing they are fake, and as a result, get their personal information stolen.
Security Announcements by the Banks Association of Turkey (TBB)
Detailed information on security is available from the following links.
