Financial Security Notice
Hancock County Savings Bank protects its customers.
The privacy and security of communications between you (your browser) and our servers is ensured via encryption. Encryption scrambles messages exchanged between your browser and our online banking server.
How Encryption Works
- When visiting online banking’s sign-on page, your browser establishes a secure session with our server.
- The secure session is established using a protocol called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Encryption. This protocol requires the exchange of what are called public and private keys.
- Keys are random numbers chosen for that session and are only known between your browser and our server. Once keys are exchanged, your browser will use the numbers to scramble (encrypt) the messages sent between your browser and our server.
- Both sides require the keys because they need to descramble (decrypt) messages received. The SSL protocol assures privacy, but also ensures no other website can “impersonate” your financial institution’s website, nor alter information sent.
- To learn whether your browser is in secure mode, look for the secured lock symbol at the bottom of your browser window.
- HCSBank.com uses an “extended validation” SSL which will turn a browser’s address bar green when the SSL is engaged. This might look slightly different in your browser, but it should look similar to this (taken from Google’s Chome browser):
Encryption Level
The numbers used as encryption keys are similar to combination locks. The strength of encryption is based on the number of possible combinations a lock can have. The more possible combinations, the less likely someone could guess the combination to decrypt the message.
For your protection, our servers require the browser to connect at 256-bit encryption (versus the less-secure 128-bit encryption). Users will be unable to access online banking functions at lesser encryption levels. This may require some end users to upgrade their browser to the stronger encryption level.
Which Browsers Will Work with Our SSL
We use an “Extended Validation SSL” provided through GeoTrust.com for our SSL. GeoTrust Inc’s SSL certificates are flexible enough to provide encryption for 99% of browsers used. If you have the most recent version of your browser, you should have no problem using our encrypted communications. For a list of browsers that are supported, click here.
Our Commitment to Security
We are committed to ensuring that our customers data and records are kept secure and protected from external threats. If at any time you have questions or concerns, we invite you to contact us at:
Hancock County Savings Bank
ATTN: Internet Security
351 Carolina Ave.
Chester, WV 26034
304-387-1620
This information was updated in January, 2016 and may change in the future.