Online Banking Security Tips

Here are the most valuable security tips to ensure your online banking sessions are secure.

How to Choose a Safe Bank:

• Does the bank offer a two-phase logon system?
  (2 different passwords needed)
• Is SMS alerts offered?
• Does the website have a verified security certificate?
• Does the website use multiple firewalls?
• Does the website use encryption?
• Does the website automatically log out inactive users?
• Does a set amount of failed login attempts lock your account?

 Choosing your passwords

• Choose a strong password of more than 8 characters
• Combine letters, numbers and special characters
• Avoid dictionary words
• Make your password and login name completely different from each other
• Avoid sequences or repeated characters (like “12345”
• Avoid using words than can easily be guessed (like your birth year)
• Don’t use the same password as you use for other web sites since those can easily be leaked

PIN & Password Precautions 

• Never trust phone calls, e-mails or SMS’s asking you to disclose any personal details or card numbers
• Be cautious about disclosing personal information to individuals you do not know
• Remember that your bank will never contact you, in any way, to ask for your PIN or password information
• Never store your password on your computer
• Avoid using online password storage (via your browser and via 3rd party services)
• Change your PIN & Password often

 Accessing the Website

• When doing online banking, always use your browser’s “private browsing” feature. This deletes all logins and cached files 
• Always access your bank’s website by typing in the complete web address 
• Never follow links to reach your bank’s website 
• Never follow links you received via e-mail
• Never trust email attachments, even if sent from what appears to be your bank
• Check your banking session is secure (https://) and the presence of a digital certificate (padlock or key icon)
• Always completely log off from your banking session and close the browser window
• Use a virtual keypad to enter your PIN, this will avoid key loggers to capture your keystrokes

PC Security

• Always use up-to-date Anti-Virus software and a personal firewall (software or hardware)
• Check for spyware on your PC
• Always update your computer’s operating system with the latest security updates
• Ensure your Internet browser is the most up to date version
• Be vigilant when using public computers

Account Details

• Regularly check your bank statements for erroneous or criminal transactions
• Set up a SMS service to be notified of Internet banking logon
• Also set up a SMS service to be notified of any transactions
• Never disclose any personal information (account number, ID number, etc.)
• Set daily limits on your accounts

General Precautions

• ¨Phishing scams are fraudulent attempts to gain your login details through acting as your bank
• ¨These scams are usually initiated via e-mail, but also through social network services (Facebook, twitter, Google Talk, etc.)
• ¨Don’t support online shops whose true identity is unknown to you
• ¨Only share your email address with people you know
• ¨Enable spam and security filters on your email program
• ¨Protect your computer with a secure password

 When Attacked

• When you think your login credentials have been compromised, immediately contact your bank telephonically

Ayoba Designs - Bloemfontein Web Design

Understanding the Mission & Vision of an Organization

What the vision and mission of any company should entail:

The Mission statement of a company should describe what the company aims to achieve through its existence. It must define the company’s business, motives and methods.

The mission has to be reevaluated and reexamined on a regular basis to keep the company relevant and dynamic. Reviewing the mission gets an organization back to the basics. (Smallbusinessnotes.com, 2011).

Each member of an organization should be able to verbally express this mission.

Additionally, each employee in the organization needs a mission for his life. The alignment of an employee’s life mission with the organization’s mission is a very important determinant in job satisfaction. If they are incongruent, you employees are most likely dissatisfied with their working environment. (humanresources.about.com, 2011).

The Vision serves as a structure which guides the business into achieving its goals set in the mission statement. It also functions as a motivator inside the organization. When the vision is vivid and meaningful enough it can inspire employers and employees to do surprising things to bring the mission to realization.

A vision statement answers the question “what impact do we want to have on society?” It creates a sense of organizational purpose, impacting the mindsets of employees to see themselves as “building a cathedral” rather than “laying stones”. (smallbusinessnotes.com, 2011)

It sets practical goals to aim for and can serve as a statement of what the organization wants to become like in the future. All members of the organization should be lead to feel proud, excited and part of something significant. (humanresources.about.com, 2011)


Why a company needs a vision and mission statement:

When a company lacks a vision to which all its employees subscribe, individual visions and missions tend to rise up and compete with each other. The result is conflict, delays, and lost revenues in the organization. (management-issues.com, 2005)

The mission and vision statement brings focus and unity to the organization. The direction of the organization must be thoroughly communicated to all its members.

The mission statement may be one way to influence the public through descriptive words and concepts. A mission statement is often carefully constructed, and the phrases are tailored for maximum meaning. (helium.com, 2011)

The vision statement creates a clear picture for the business owner or organization leader and sets goals which should be achieved. It aids the organization in making objective decisions.

Furthermore it serves as inspiration to employees as it motivates them during their every-day tasks.

It is important to use the vision statement to evaluate how a company and its employees should spend its time. (ezinearticles.com)


Steps involved in the Strategic Planning Process

1. Agree on a strategic planning process and establish responsibilities for the various steps in the process

2. Develop the Vision, Mission and values of the company. Clearly define specific mandates.

3. Do business and operation analysis (environmental scan, SWOT Analysis etc.). Understand internal Strengths and Weaknesses as well as external Threats and Opportunities. Involve various stakeholders to analyze your business.

4. Identify key issues, questions, and choices to be addressed as part of the strategic planning effort. Specify strategic issues the organization should address and set priorities in terms of importance or time constraints.

5. Establish strategic objectives or goals to use as success measurement in the future. When the strategic options are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound), it will help to ease the communication toward the lower level of the organizational hierarchy for implementation.

6. Draft a strategy execution plan and solicit feedback.

7. Develop a strategy execution plan (strategy action plan) that addresses the goals described earlier

8. Establish Resource Allocation. Ensure enough resources are allocated to ensure individuals, teams or departments are not overloaded.

9. Do a progress review. Analyse the organization’s progress with the strategic plan.

10. Evaluate periodically to ensure the organization plan is dynamic and adaptive.

11. Make strategic planning an on-going process by continually re-evaluating the strategic plan. (siteresources.worldbank.org, 2001) (June Campbell, nightcats.com, 2011) (Dr. LM Foong, ezinearticles.com,2011) (CFFBest.org, 2011)

Ayoba Designs: Web Design

Create ISO in Nero

My blog is not about any specific topic, and every now and again a random post will appear here. This is one of them.

I've been  having some trouble to create a .ISO image file from a data DVD/CD with Nero. Apparantly Nero wants you to only use their .nrg format images.

To use your disc images you create, the best and most widely supported format is .iso. Most 3rd-party software, and Windows 7's built-in image writer, will not read Nero's .nrg image format.

So to create an image from your original DVD/CD follow these steps:

• Insert the disc into your optical drive (duh)
• Open Nero Burning Rom
• Cancel the automatic popup called "New Compilation"
• Now, in the file menu, go to "Extras"
• Select "Save Data Track"
• Choose your optical drive letter
• Click on "Save Track"
• A browse window will appear. Choose where you want to save your image, type in a File Name and select "ISO" under "Save as Type:" ]
• Click "Save"

Your ISO image is now being created.

Now you can use your ISO to burn multiple copies of the same disc, or to mount it with image mounting software like Virtual CloneDrive

Ayoba Designs: Web Design 

Carters Rest Guesthouse's Website Launched!

The new web site for Carters Rest Guesthouse in Kimberley has just launched!

Carters Rest is a new business which aims to provide luxurious and comfortable accommodation in Kimberley.

The aim of the website is to:

• Tell potential guests about the guesthouse
• Show guests photos of the guesthouse
• Explain the facilities available at the guesthouse
• Provide potential guests with the rates
• Familiarize the guests with the guesthouse's atmosphere
• Provide a way for guests to contact the guesthouse online
• Show a map and directions to travellers
• Briefly describe tourist attractions in Kimberley

Ayoba Designs created a visually appealing website to draw the visitor's attention.

Photos of the guesthouse were used generously to familiarize visitors with the guesthouse. The Home page displays a stylish slideshow of images.

Omdat Kimberley 'n groot aantal Afrikaans-sprekendes het, is Carters Rest se web tuiste ook twee-talig.

The Details page shows the rates and explains what to expect from each of the 5 units available.

On the Locate page visitors can see a dynamic map of the guesthouse with satellite photos. Google's Street View has also been implemented to give online visitors visuals of the guesthouse and its surroundings.

The Contact page provides all the contact details with an online contact form too.

We have also created a Reservations page to facilitate online bookings.

To accommodate the tourist, we have added an Attractions page. This page briefly explains some of Kimberley's most famous attractions and provide the relevant online links.

Finally we have added a Trivia page which contains general information needed when looking for lodging. This helps guests to know what to look for and what to expect.

We trust that the owners of Carters Way are very happy with their brand new Ayoba Design.

This website will attract plenty of visitors and serve the guesthouse well.

Visit: www.cartersrest.co.za

Email: bookings@cartersrest.co.za

Want a similar quote? Contact Us

Ayoba Designs: Web Design