IDS is committed to protecting the security of our clients’ personal information, including when it is transmitted online. Therefore, IDS's online services utilize advanced Internet security technology to protect your information against unauthorized access. Even with IDS’s robust security system in place, there are additional steps you can take to further protect your information.

User ID and Password

To access certain online services, you may have been assigned a unique User ID and password that is for your use only. Your User ID and password are designed to protect you by confirming your identity to the computer network systems. To prevent unauthorized access to your accounts, it is very important to keep your User ID and password confidential.

Here are some steps you can take to protect the confidentiality of your User ID and password:

• Do not write down your password and tape it to your computer monitor, the bottom of your keyboard, under your mouse pad, or any other place near your computer system.
  
• Change your password periodically (i.e., monthly or quarterly).
  
• Change your password immediately if it becomes known, or you suspect it is known, by anyone else.
  
• Never give your password to anyone over the phone, regardless of the circumstances.
  
• Selecting Strong Passwords

The objective when creating a strong password is to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to make an educated guess about what you have selected. However, it should be developed in a manner that makes it simple to remember without writing it on paper.

Words to avoid when creating passwords

• Do not use your (or any family member’s) name, nickname, or initials in any form (forwards or backwards spelling).
  
• Do not use your User ID in any form.
  
• Do not use other information that can be easily obtained about you. This includes birth dates, telephone numbers, license plate numbers, social security numbers, street addresses, or the brand of automobile you drive, etc.
  
• Do not use all the same character (i.e., 333333) or consecutive keys on a keyboard (i.e., ASDFGH).
  
• Do not use words that would appear in a dictionary (English or other), as they can be easily compromised by password cracking programs that use electronic dictionaries.
  
• Tips for choosing good passwords
  
• Develop a method of creating passwords that makes it easier for you to remember. You want to avoid writing it down.
  
• You can use a line in a favorite song, poem, or movie and select the first letter of each word to create your password. Also include at least one number. For example, “The early bird catches the worm” becomes the password 1TEBCTW.
  
• Use two short words and connect them with a number. For example, WIN7ONE.
  
• Use a word that you can easily remember, but remove the vowels and replace them with numbers. For example, the word Summer becomes the password S2MM3R.
  
• Timeout Feature

In order to prevent someone from gaining unauthorized access to your information, you should always log off the system after you have completed your business. As an added level of protection, IDS's web site has a timeout feature that automatically terminates your session after an extended period of inactivity.

Encryption

Encryption is the process by which information is transformed or coded into a form that is unreadable to anyone except those whom possess the decryption key. This process prohibits unauthorized individuals from intercepting and viewing the information and is also referred to as a “secure session”.

You can tell your online session with IDS is secure through the following:

• An unbroken key or a locked padlock icon will appear at the bottom of your browser screen.
  
• The web site address at the top of your browser screen will change from “http” to “https”.
  
• You will be required to utilize a User ID and password to gain access to the site.
  
• SSL is a protocol for transmitting private documents via the Internet. Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer support SSL, and many web sites use the protocol to securely obtain confidential user information, such as credit card numbers.
  
  

Firewalls and Activity Logs

Firewalls and activity logs are additional security mechanisms that IDS utilizes to protect your account and online application information. A firewall acts as a barrier between the Internet and internal network system, permitting only specific traffic to pass in and out. To further ensure that only authorized users have access to our systems, IDS conducts regular reviews of activity logs.

Cookies

A "cookie" is a small file placed on your computer’s hard drive by the web server. The primary use of cookies is to simplify access to areas of the web site that require passwords and to personalize the web site to your own preferences. To provide better services and to maximize the effectiveness of the IDS web site, IDS may use cookies as part of our interaction with your browser.

Cookies can only be read by the web server that sent the cookie to your browser, and they cannot be used to retrieve any information from the computer. You have the option of determining if and how a cookie will be accepted by configuring preferences on your own Internet browser. If you decide to disallow cookies, certain areas of the IDS web site may not function properly or may not be accessible.

E-mail

E-mail transmitted across the Internet is normally not protected and may be intercepted and viewed by others. Therefore, you should refrain from sending any confidential or private information via e-mail to IDS. To send a secure message to IDS, you should use the IDS Contact Us form. Occasionally, we will retain the content of your e-mail and our replies to confirm proper responses to your questions/requests, to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and to ensure the consistent delivery of our "World Standard" client service.

Virus Protection

IDS utilizes the most up-to-date technology to protect our internal systems and your information from computer viruses. Malicious viruses can sometimes be used, however, to gain access to your personal computer. For protection of your personal system, recommends you implement the following measures:

• Purchase antivirus software such as McAfee's VirusScan or Norton's AntiVirus, to detect and eliminate potential viruses on your computer. For more information on virus detection software, visit McAfee Online and Symantec.
  
• Update your antivirus software at least monthly by contacting your antivirus vendor to obtain the most current antivirus signature files.
  
• Do not open e-mail attachments or downloaded files without first saving them to your hard disk (C: drive). Your antivirus software should be configured to scan each file when it is saved and when it is opened.
  
• Never open e-mail attachments from individuals you do not know -- simply delete them.
  
• Use caution with e-mail attachments, even if you know the sender. If you were not expecting the message or if you have any suspicions, contact the sender and confirm that they indeed sent the message.