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Security Features

PC Branch is an extremely secure way to manage your accounts at DCU. Here´s why it is so secure...
Secure PC Branch Login
When you log onto PC Branch from the DCU home page or any other link in our site, your Member Number and password are sent over the Internet from your computer to ours using 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. SSL encrypts your personal information before it leaves your computer, ensuring that no one else can read it. See Key encryption below.
Once you're logged in, there are two ways to see if your PC Branch session is secure...
  • A small locked or closed padlock icon, usually in the lower right corner of your browser window.
  • An "s" in "https:" at the beginning of the web address or URL in your browser.
Multi Factor Authentication
Enhanced Login Security with Multi Factor Authentication for PC Branch.
DCU cares about keeping your financial information secure and safe. That's why we've added security questions to our network of fraud-protection tools for members. Enrollment will be mandatory for all PC Branch users. Registering the computer(s) you view PC Branch regularly is optional, but highly recommended. We are using Multi Factor Authentication coupled with a computer registration process. These security processes are industry standard methods for keeping information secure and they are likely familiar to you if you are using another financial institution or brokerage firm.
It may take a few more minutes of your time but the benefits of having your banking information and identity secure is worth the effort. Consumers lose when internet fraud occurs. With the increasing sophistication of hackers and government demand for data privacy, DCU continuously is enhancing PC Branch security.
How does this work?
Member Enrollment
  • You select and answer three security questions. This will help to confirm your identity when logging in. Your correct answers to these question will help us verify it's you. Please note that we will never ask you to provide answers to your security questions via email.
  • When you set up your security questions, please look to verify your contact information so we can get in touch with you right away if there is ever an issue with your account.
  • All members must choose security questions to continue accessing their accounts online. We will ask you to select your questions, after you sign on and before you access your account. Typically, you will only have to set up your questions once.
  • If you share access to your PC Branch access with a joint owner (i.e. spouse) you will need to make sure you have discussed your security questions with the other user. This will help ensure you don't inadvertently lock them out of account access.
  • We understand you may not be able to take the time to do this the first time our system starts Enhanced Login Security. We will allow you three PC Branch logins to delay enrollment. At that third login you will be required to enroll.
Computer Registration
  • Most members use one or two computers. When you register those computers typically you will not need to answer the security questions when you log on. This is because a secure cookie is placed on your computer - if you delete your cookies on a regular basis you will be required to re-register the computer or answer the security questions.
  • Registering a computer is completely optional. If you choose not to enroll your computer you will have to answer your three security questions each time you login. You can register a computer at any time or un-register one by logging in with that computer to PC Branch and choosing the "remove extra security protection from this computer" option from the "Enhanced Login Security" page under User Options.
  • Personal firewalls should not affect the installation of the secure cookie. Please note that if you use multiple browsers within the same computer you will need to enroll each browser separately. For those members using Account Aggregation through Financeworks and CashEdge both have modified their software to be able to work with Multi Factor Authentication. If you use other Account Aggregation software you may need to contact them to see if they can work within a Multi Factor Authentication environment.
Tips for using Enhanced Login Security
Quick and easy to set up, security questions help protect your account and keep your identity safe. There are a few things you should think about when setting them up.
  • Make sure the answers to the security questions you select are easy for you to remember but hard for anyone else to guess. Do not write them down.
  • If you have selected security questions on other sites, you should avoid using the same set of questions to protect your DCU PC Branch online account.
  • We strongly recommend that you do not enroll public computers, thus not placing a secure cookie on a public machine. You should assume that the cookie does remain on the machine after logout.
  • If you do delete your cookies regularly and do not want to be asked for additional information at each login we recommend that you have Macromedia player installed on your computer. If this is installed on your computer we will place a copy of the secure cookie within this software. This copy will be used by us if your cookie has been deleted.
Security Upgrade
In order to ensure security, recent upgrades to PC Branch have been made. These upgrades may cause some members (namely those using third party software) to be unable to log-in to PC Branch. Some third party software installed into standard browsers and computers (i.e. toolbars, adware, etc.) make attempts to directly interact with PC Branch using non-authorized methods. Many of these browser add-ins are known to be spyware products which we believe should not be allowed. Therefore, any member who has this type of software may not be allowed to log-in to PC Branch. If you cannot log-in to PC Branch for this reason, please select here.

Key encryption
Transmissions between your PC and the PC Branch file servers are encrypted or scrambled so only those two computers can decipher them. Browser software with a minimum of 128-bit strong encryption is required. You cannot access PC Branch unless you are using a browser equipped with encryption technology (also known as SSL or Secure Socket Layering).
Microsoft Internet Explorer is available with 128-bit encryption. The 128-bit encryption is so secure that the U.S. government had export restrictions on Navigator and Explorer. You can tell when a site is secure (encrypted) by a symbol on your browser – most often a picture of a closed lock in the lower right corner of your screen. You can further enhance the security of your browser by updating your PC's operating system to Microsoft Windows 2000.
Note: To use PC Branch, you need to make sure your browser is set to use SSL version 3.0. Browsers released after 1996 should be okay. If you cannot access PC Branch, we recommend you upgrade your browser. See What software do I need for version and downloading information.

User-Defined Timeout
In the User Options section, you can set the how fast the PC Branch session will automatically close if there is no activity. This is important if you are accessing your accounts from your office or a public location where people would have access to the PC if you walked away without closing your session.

Unique Session ID
PC Branch assigns a session ID number each time you log in. "Cookies" must be enabled on your browser so it will accept this ID number and this session can begin. This number is verified each time you send or receive information from the PC Branch host processor during that session. The cookie is not stored on your computer and it is dismissed when you exit your browser, exit PC Branch, or are automatically logged out for inactivity.

Cache prevention
Typically, Internet pages you recently visited are stored in a cache on your computer so they pop up faster when you return to them. The account information pages in PC Branch are set up so they cannot be stored in your computer´s cache. This is so the pages you´ve looked at are no longer on your computer after you log off. If you walk away from your PC at work, for example, no one can use your browser´s back button to view account information after your session is over.

Three tries and you´re out
If someone has discovered your member number and tries to guess your password, the third incorrect password entry in a row (without a successful logon) immediately blocks PC Branch account-access by electronic services to your member number. You have to tell us to unlock it.

Changeable PC Branch Password
As an added measure of security, you will be required to change your standard DCU PIN the first time you log in to PC Branch. You must use any Alpha-Numeric combination (at least one of each) with a minimum of 6 digits and up to 16 characters long. Blank spaces and special characters can not be used.
NEVER disclose your PIN or password to anyone – not even us! No one at DCU knows your PIN or password and no one at DCU will ever ask for it. If you forget or lose it, let us know. Our data processing system will print you a new copy in a sealed mailer. No one will see it until you open it.

There's More, But...
Of course, that's not all the security features PC Branch provides, but we won't describe them all to you. Secrecy about security measures is part of what makes them so secure.
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Digital Federal Credit Union
Digital Federal Credit Union
220 Donald Lynch Boulevard
PO Box 9130
Marlborough, MA 01752-9130
508.263.6700 • 800.328.8797
 DCU is an Equal Housing Lender    Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency. Select for more information.
 
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