PROTECTING YOUR INFORMATION ONLINE

Wachovia secures information about you online with firewalls, browser controls and other technology. However, you can take additional steps to secure your online information.

Visit Safeguard Your Information Online and Online Fraud to learn how to protect yourself from email, Web site and other online fraud.

Linking to Other Web sites

Links to third-party sites are provided for your convenience. Such sites are not within our control and may not follow the same privacy, security, or accessibility standards as ours. Wachovia neither endorses nor guarantees offerings of the third party providers, nor is Wachovia responsible for the security, content or availability of the third-party sites, their partners, or advertisers. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third parties before providing information on their sites.

Browser Controls

This site requires the use of secure browsers to protect you while you access our online services. Secure browsers allow you to communicate with our Web site in a protected session by encrypting information that flows between you and the site.

To verify your session is secure, do the following:

• Look for https: instead of http: in the URL address line.
• Identify a secure symbol (for example, closed padlock or key) on the status bar of your browser located on the lower part of the screen.
• Double click the secure symbol to examine details of the site's security. Because fraudulent web sites can be built to imitate the secure symbol of your browser, it is important to test the functionality built into the symbol.
• Use a browser with 128-bit encryption. For more information on your browser's features and how to download a more secure version of your browser, click on one of the browser logos at the bottom.
• Type the known URL into the browser address bar instead of following links and use bookmarks for when you would like to return to the site.

To provide additional protection, Wachovia also uses:

• A timeout feature is used on selected parts of our Web site. This feature automatically logs you out of your account after an extended period of time.
• The Web site uses firewalls to protect our computer systems and your information.

IP Addresses

When you log on to Online Services, you pass through a "firewall" we use for security purposes. As you pass through it, we may identify the Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the device you are using, such as a personal computer or handheld device.

The IP address does not identify you personally, but it may allow us to identify the device you're using. In certain instances, we may also obtain other information to allow us to better identify you as an Online Services customer. We may retain this information in case we ever need it for reasons related to the protection of information about customers and/or security.

Computer Security Controls

These controls protect your information through physical, electronic, contractual and procedural measures that comply with or exceed applicable laws and standards. Your information remains secure because we implement the following controls on our computer systems:

• Anti-virus protection detects and prevents malicious software from entering our network systems.
• Authentication is a security measure for verifying a user's identity and an individual's authorization to receive specific information. The most common form of authentication is user name and password. Learn more
• Digital Certificates provide a means for proving your identity or your right to access information when engaging in electronic transactions. Learn more
• Encryption enables a secure transmission of information between you and us by scrambling the data so that it can not be read by unauthorized parties.
• Firewalls prevent unauthorized access to our network. Firewalls can be thought of as a selective barrier that permits only specific types of traffic through to our systems.
• Secure Web browser allows you to communicate with our Web site in a protected session by encrypting information that flows between you and the site. Not utilizing a secure Web browser can allow an intruder to take control of your computer or spyware to be installed on your system without your knowledge.
• Timeout feature is used on selected parts of our Web site. This feature automatically logs you out of your account after an extended period of time. Re-establishing and authenticating your credentials for your online session helps to reduce unauthorized access to your accounts with us via the Internet.

Related Links

•Online and Email Safety
•Email and Web site Fraud