Personal Internet Banking Customers
Q. What is Two Factor Authentication?
A. Two Factor Authentication is a solution that protects your access to our secure banking web site by providing strong authentication.
Q. When will Commonwealth begin using Two Factor Authentication?
A. You will begin using this service on Sunday, December 10th, 2006. From that date you will have 45 days to enroll.
Q. Why is Two Factor Authentication necessary?
A. We believe that although single factor authentication (the combination of user name and password to identify and authenticate a user) is the standard way of safeguarding our customer accounts at logon, we can do better. A variety of security threats – including Trojans, keystroke loggers, and phishing – are becoming more and more sophisticated. In order to give you the best online protection, we have decided to offer you Two Factor Authentication.
Q. What is a PassMark?
A. A PassMark is the combination of an image and a text phrase that is set up by you and is only known between you and the bank. The PassMark tells you that you are at the right website and not at a fraudulent site. Once you’ve verified your Pass Mark you can then safely enter your password and continue to the online application.
Q. How does it work?
A. When you enroll in PassMark the fist time, you will select a picture and text phrase known only to you. Each time you login, the online banking site will show you the picture and phrase you selected so you know that you are accessing the real online banking site and not a fraudulent site. Additionally, the online banking application also checks the computer you are using to access the online banking site. The PassMark system remembers your computer based upon a unique, secure identifier via a cookie on your computer. If you ever attempt to login from a different computer, the system will take additional security steps to verify your identity by asking you to answer a secret question you set-up at the time of your enrollment. The cookie does not contain any personal or private data.
Q. Can someone steal my PassMark?
A. Since your PassMark is only shown to you, if you login from a known registered computer, it cannot be stolen.
Q. What are challenge questions? Are they necessary?
A. A challenge question is an alternative method to validate you are the person you say you are when logging in from a new computer or when you have forgotten your password. They are a necessary part of PassMark to provide you a more controlled use of the online banking site without requiring additional human intervention.
Q. How easy is it to use?
A. The system is extremely straightforward. Just look for your PassMark and log in as usual.
Q. What if I share my computer with someone who has their own account? Can we both login from the same machine?
A. Absolutely! There is no limit on how many people can log into the bank website from the same computer.
Q. What happens if someone steals my password? Does PassMark keep them from logging in and accessing my account?
A. If someone steals your username and password and attempts to login, the system will recognize that they are logging in from a different computer and ask them a challenge question. Since they will not know the answer to the question, they will not be able to login.
Q. Can I change my PassMark?
A. Anytime you like after you login.
Q. How do you know I’m logging in from my own computer?
A. The first time you login from a new computer, the system puts an encrypted, secure cookie on your computer. This cookie contains a unique randomly generated number. This cookie does not contain any personal information and is only visible to the bank website. Upon login, your browser sends the cookie to the system, which lets it know that this is your computer.
Q. I am at the bank website, and don’t see my PassMark. I am being asked a question. Am I at the real bank's site? What is happening?
A. First, double check you are at the correct site by typing in www.cbandt.com. Do not use a link or cut and paste the address from an e-mail. If you still see a question, answer the question. After that you should see your PassMark next to the password field. If your PassMark is there, you can be confident you’re at the real web site.
Q. Can I use or upload my own picture as my PassMark?
A. No. At this time only bank provided pictures can be used in your PassMark.
Q. I’m locked out. How do I access my account?
A. Please contact Customer Service at 259.2000 (from Jefferson County) or 633.1000 (from Shelby County) and they can unlock your account.
Q. Does my phrase have to match my image?
A. No.
Q. What if the image presented is not the one I selected?
A. Please contact Customer Service immediately (259.2000 from Jefferson County or 633.1000 from Shelby County) as someone may have access to your account.
Q. What if I do not remember my image or phrase?
A. Call Customer Service (259.2000 from Jefferson County or 633.1000 from Shelby County) so they can reset your PassMark.
Q. What is a flash shared object?
A. It’s similar to a cookie, but stored in Macromedia flash rather than a browser.
Q. Why do I have to enroll in this new service?
A. New government regulations require enhanced security for users. This service provides that security layer.
Q. What if my anti-virus software deletes cookies? Will this impact me?
A. If you have a newer version of flash installed on your browser, the cookie deletion will have no effect.
Q. What if I do not remember my challenge questions?
A. Call Customer Service (259.2000 from Jefferson County or 633.1000 from Shelby County) so they can reset your PassMark.
Q. Do I ever have to change my image and/or phrase?
A. No.
Q. I erased the cookies on my machine, but I didn’t get challenged. Why?
A. The flash shared object is still present on your machine.
Q. Can I use my account safely at an Internet Cafe?
A. Yes. You will be prompted to answer a challenge question before seeing your PassMark and being allowed to login.
Q. Is participation in this program mandatory?
A. Yes. You will have until January 24th to enroll.
Q. Is my phrase or challenge question answers case sensitive?
A. No.
Q. Can I use special characters in my phrase or challenge question answers?
A. No. You may only use numbers and letters.
Q. Why am I being asked a challenge question when I try to login?
A. Some reasons you may be asked challenge questions are:
- You are logging on from a different computer.
- You have forgotten your password.
- Your token is missing from your computer, because you cleared all the cookies on your computer or your cookie/token disappeared.
Q. What if I want to login at work, or from other computers?
A. This is not a problem. The first time you log in from a new computer you will just need to answer a challenge question. Once you have successfully answered your question, you are shown your PassMark image and are asked for your password. At this time a new “token” is then added to this new computer. You can then log into your account from this new computer as well. There is no limit on how many different computers you can use to log into your account.
