Online Security
Recommendations
We recommend using either Netscape (version 4.76 or higher) or Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 5.0 or higher) for optimal viewing of this web site, and take advantage of secure interactivity with our site. If you are not using Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer you may wish to download either one now. Click on the one you want to download and follow the instructions
When sending any application information online this site automatically switches to a secure mode. This is evident by the "https" that will appear in the url as opposed to "http." If you are using Internet Explorer you will see a locked pad lock at the bottom of your screen when you are in a secure mode and an unlocked pad lock when you are in an insecure mode.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
In Microsoft Internet Explorer when browsing securely, the browser will display a locked padlock icon at the bottom of its open window, which looks like this:
Netscape
In Netscape when browsing securely the browser will display a locked padlock icon at the bottom left of its open window, which looks like this:
In Netscape when browsing insecurely that same padlock appears unlocked, like this:
MetroBank understands that the security of your personal and account information is important to you. We also understand that our continued success as a financial institution relies on both our ability to offer banking services to you in a secure manner as well as your responsibility in keeping any access codes, passwords or PINs secure. To assist us in offering these Web-based banking services in a secure manner, we employ a number of measures, which are described below. These measures allow us, among other benefits, to properly authenticate your identity when you access these services and protect your information as it traverses the Internet between your PC and MetroBank.
Log-In protection for the End User. Every end user must privately maintain a combination of a password and Log-In ID. Because the end user is assigned the original password by the bank administrator, IBS (Internet Banking System) forces the end user to change the password once logged onto the system and before any transactions can be requested. This forces the end user to establish an absolutely private password. If, in case the password is loss or forgotten the administrator will be able to reset a default password for the end user once MetroBank has confirmed your identity.
Three (3) strikes and you're out. If an unauthorized person attempts entry into an end user’s account by trying to guess a Log-In ID, IBS will disable the password on the third incorrect attempt, thus invalidating the Log-In combination. If you accidentally activate this security feature by unintentionally mis-keying a password three times, you would need to call MetroBank to reestablish the password for that account. For example, a common mistake made by the end user is having the CAPS-LOCK on while keying in a password.
To further protect you, a timeout feature is used. This
feature will automatically log you out of your current financial
service session after a 60-minute period on our site.
MetroBank also requires the use of secure browsers to protect
you while you access our online financial services. More
specifically, the personal and account information that
flows back and forth between your PC and MetroBank must
be encrypted while in transit – secure browsers are
how we achieve this level of protection. Encryption is the
process of scrambling information (typically for data transmission)
so that it can only be reassembled in its original clear
text format by someone who has the correct encryption key
to do so. When used between you and MetroBank, this technology
encrypts your personal information as you send it to us,
which only MetroBank can decrypt. Likewise, when we send
personal or account information to you, this technology
encrypts it, which only you can decrypt. This is possible
through a certified 128 bit secure server by VeriSign so
that no unauthorized individuals can read or decipher the
data.
Our server does not connect directly to the Internet. It is isolated from the network via "firewall". All requests to the server are filtered through a router and firewall before they are permitted access to the server. A router is a piece of hardware that works in conjunction with the firewall, a piece of software, to block and direct traffic coming to the server. The router and software "firewall" define and limit access that "outside" computers have to MetroBank’s server. The configuration begins by disallowing ALL traffic and then opens only when necessary to process acceptable data requests, such as sending customer requests to MetroBank.
