Your online Venture Bank account information is available only through access methods which have been rigorously tested for their secure access. Your information is not public. You can access it only by using your assigned Online Banking ID and Online Banking Password.

Protecting Information Online

Venture Bank uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to protect your account information when you access it online. SSL encompasses two different security methods, which when used together offers a safe transfer of data over the Internet. When you sign into your online banking account, this technology encrypts - or scrambles - your information so it’s virtually impossible for anyone other than Venture Bank to read it. This same technology is used when you send your personal information to Venture Bank using our online forms.

Venture Bank uses additional methods as well, such as firewalls, proxy severs, routers and filters, which work behind the scenes and protect the file server from malicious attacks from outside hackers.

Encryption and How SSL Works

Browsers, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer, provide different levels of encryption: "Standard" (40 or 56-bit) and "High" (128-bit). Encryption scrambles secure information that is passed over the Internet and provides an additional component of security which is highly important for any transactions you initiate over the Internet.

Encryption is a component of the "combination lock" that holds your account information, and only one combination will work to access your account. For your security Venture Bank uses the highest level encryption: 128-bit encryption.

The type of encryption that SSL uses is called public key encryption. Public key is the encryption code that Venture Bank’s online banking system sends to your browser. It is an encryption key that is readily obtained and like the term implies, is has public domain information.

Your browser uses the public key to encrypt for you a private key. The private encryption key is unique to you and will most likely never be used again. Once Venture Bank’s online banking system and your browser have a copy of the private key, data is transmitted in a secure fashion.

Frequently Asked questions

Q: Can I use a beta browser to access Venture Bank?

A: Venture Bank does not support beta browsers. We test only the most recent non-beta versions to ensure they meet our high security and functionality standards.

Q: What happens if I choose not to upgrade my browser?

A: You may experience difficulties on all secure sites on the Internet. Venture Bank will not support browsers with expiring certificates and may choose to block access to secure pages until you upgrade.

Q: How long will it take to upgrade and install a browser?

A: Depending on your system configuration and connection speed, upgrading and installing a browser can take up to two hours. For more specific information on upgrading and installing your preferred Internet browser, please visit www.mozilla.com or www.microsoft.com.

Q: Where can I go for more information on browser certificates and Certificate Authority expirations?

A: Please visit www.verisign.com for more detailed information on expiring browser certificates.

Q: Where can I go for more information on downloading and installing the most recent browser version?

A: For information on upgrading and installing your preferred Internet browser, please visit the www.mozilla.com or www.microsoft.com.

How we handle e-mail

We preserve the content of your e-mail, your e-mail address, and our response so that we can more efficiently handle any follow-up questions you may have. We also do this to meet legal and regulatory requirements. If we think that a particular Venture Bank account or service might apply to your situation, we may occasionally contact you at your e-mail address to inform you of potential benefits and availability. Regular non-encrypted Internet e-mail is not secure. In instances where Venture Bank Internet e-mail addresses are provided to you, it is for information inquiries of a non-sensitive and non-confidential nature only.

About "Cookies"

As part of our website security, Venture Bank uses "Cookies" to monitor visits to our website. A "Cookie" is a small text file that is placed on your computer's hard drive by our web page server. "Cookies" are commonly used on web sites and do not harm your system. You can determine how and when a cookie will be accepted by configuring your browser preferences or options.

"Cookies" sent by Venture Bank can only be read by Venture Bank and can be used to verify the authenticity of online banking requests. "Cookies" do not collect personally identifiable information and cannot obtain any data from your hard drive. They are used to collect non-identifying information such as your computer's Internet Protocal (IP) address and when the website was accessed. Venture Bank does not combine information collected through "Cookies" with other personal information to determine who you are or your e-mail address.

Venture Bank's Internet Banking also has a time out feature. This feature automatically logs you out of your session after 15 minutes of inactivity (by use of a "cookie"). However, for privacy reasons, it is always safer to actually log off the system when you finish conducting your online banking business, instead of relying on this back-up security feature.

Count on our commitment to your privacy

You can count on us to keep you informed about how we protect your privacy and limit the sharing of information you provide to us - whether it's at a banking center, over the phone, or through the Internet.  For more information on privacy, please read our Venture Bank Privacy Statement.

Note to users accessing a private computer: Unauthorized access or use is not permitted and constitutes a crime punishable by law (18 USC,1030).