Online Banking Safety Tips

Keep your passwords, Personal Identification Number (PIN) and card numbers confidential

Do not share your CIBC Online Banking password or bank machine Personal Identification Number (PIN) with anyone. Giving your password or PIN to another person or company places your finances and privacy at risk.





Change your password regularly and use a different password than you use for other websites. Make it difficult for others to guess your password by using a combination of letters and numbers in your password. If you think someone knows your password, change it right away.

Never share, disclose, or provide your card number or password to another party or website other than CIBC. CIBC will never send you an e-mail requesting this information.
Keep your Personal Verification Question (PVQ) answers confidential

Do not share your Personal Verification Question (PVQ) answers with anyone, and do not disclose them in e-mails. Giving your PVQ answers to another person or company places your finances and privacy at risk. CIBC will never send you an e-mail requesting this information.

Your PVQ answers for CIBC Online Banking should be unique - do not use PVQ answers that you have used previously on other web sites.
Changing your password

Never save your card number or password on a publicly accessed computer.

If using a publicly accessed computer such as at an internet café or public library, change your password after completing your session by calling CIBC Telephone Banking:
1-800-465-2422 (Canada and U.S. toll free)
1-902-420-2422 (Outside Canada and U.S., no collect calls accepted)

When selecting a password, choose a password that cannot be easily guessed by anyone else.

For CIBC Online Banking, use:
An alpha-numeric combination
A password more than six characters long
A combination of capital and lower case letters

For Investor's Edge, Imperial Investor Service and Wood Gundy, use:
Numbers only
Between 6-12 characters

Don't use:
A password you use for any other service
Your name or a close relative's name
Your birth date, telephone number or address, or those of a close relative
Your CIBC account number
Your card number
Look for the lock icon

Before entering personal information on a website, look for the "lock" icon in your browser. A closed lock or padlock indicates that the website you are on is secure.
Use a firewall

When your computer is connected to the Internet, it is vulnerable to attack. Although this is a problem for all types of Internet connections, DSL and cable modem connections are more vulnerable because they offer an "always on" capability. You can help protect your computer from attack by using a personal firewall. Personal firewalls can be software, hardware, or both, and create a barrier to attacks.

Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS X both include automatically activated firewalls. If you are not sure your system has an activated firewall go to the appropriate site below to learn more.
Microsoft Windows XP: Configure the Internet Connection Firewall
Apple MacOS X: Enable MacOS 10.4 firewall protection


Direct Deposit and CIBC Online Banking

You can arrange with your employer to have your salary deposited directly to your CIBC account so you can prevent lost or stolen cheques. With CIBC Online Banking, you can also set up recurring transfers and payments from your CIBC account so that your obligations are met automatically.
Shop with Verified by Visa

Verified by Visa protects your CIBC Visa Credit Card with a password. Once you set up your free Verified by Visa password, you will be prompted for it when you use your CIBC Visa Credit Card to make purchases at participating online merchants.

* Visa Int./CIBC lic. User
Install security updates

Most personal computers use the Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS operating systems. The makers of these systems regularly issue security updates to protect against new and emerging threats. You should download and install security updates regularly or configure your operating system to automatically check for new updates.
Windows: To download the latest Microsoft Windows updates, visit Windows
MacOS X: Choose "Software Update" from the Apple menu.


Look for privacy policies on other websites

CIBC websites provide links to other websites that are not operated by CIBC or governed by CIBC's Privacy Policy or security standards. If you visit one of these websites, you should read their unique privacy and security policies before entering data on those sites.
Safe Computing Practices

With CIBC Online Banking, you can manage almost all of your everyday banking, anywhere you have Internet access, using your laptop or a trusted computer terminal.
Important tips:
When you're traveling, always use a trusted computer whenever possible
If you are concerned about the security of the computer you are using, try using Trusteer Rapport
Never leave your computer unattended once you have signed on to CIBC Online Banking
After completing your transactions, ensure that you sign out of CIBC Online Banking, clear your cache, and close your browser
If you are using an older version of Internet Explorer we recommend that you upgrade to Internet Explorer 8.
Online Security

We want you to be confident when accessing your financial information online. CIBC uses multiple layers of protection to increase your security while using CIBC Online Banking or accessing your online investment accounts.
Secure Online Banking and Investing

We offer you secure access to your banking and investment accounts. As part of the sign on process, you may occasionally be prompted to answer one of the Personal Verification Questions (PVQs) you have set up. Once you have signed on, you can check your balances, transfer funds, and pay bills online quickly and safely. We also monitor activity in banking and investment accounts to enhance your security and to protect your financial information. One of the security features you will notice in CIBC Online Banking and the online services of CIBC Investor's Edge, CIBC Imperial Investor Service, CIBC Wood Gundy, and CIBC Private Investment Counsel is the date and time of your last sign on, which is displayed within key areas. The date and time displayed should match the last time you signed on.
Web browser encryption

Web browsers use encryption to communicate securely over the Internet. You must have a browser with 128-bit encryption to use CIBC Online Banking or the online services of CIBC Investor's Edge, CIBC Imperial Investor Service, CIBC Wood Gundy, or CIBC Private Investment Counsel. All of the browsers supported by CIBC Online Banking and these online services offer 128-bit encryption.
Session timeout

To protect you further, your online session will end after a period of inactivity. If you wish to continue accessing your online banking or investment accounts, you will have to sign on again. You should always sign off when you are done and, if using a computer that isn't your own, you should clear your browser's cache and close the browser window.
Clear Your Browser's Cache

If you use a public or shared computer to access CIBC Online Banking, it is vital that you sign off when you are finished. Once you have signed off, you should enhance your security by clearing the browser's cache. The cache maintains a copy of web pages that have been viewed recently.